Azure tit facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Azure tit |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Cyanistes
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| Species: |
cyanus
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| Azure tit distribution map Resident | |
| Synonyms | |
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Parus cyanus |
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The azure tit (Cyanistes cyanus) is a small passerine bird that belongs to the tit family, Paridae. These birds are common and live all year round in many parts of the world. You can find them across Russia, Central Asia, northwest China, Manchuria, and Pakistan.
Azure tits like to live in forests where trees lose their leaves in autumn, or in mixed forests. They also live in bushy areas and wetlands. Most of these birds stay in the same place and do not migrate to warmer areas for winter.
They build their nests inside holes in trees. A female azure tit usually lays about 10 eggs. When she is sitting on her eggs, she stays very close to the nest. If something disturbs her, she might hiss or even try to bite to protect her eggs. Azure tits mainly eat insects, seeds, small bugs, and bug larvae.
This bird is about 12 to 13 centimeters long, which is about the length of your hand. It is easy to spot because of its unique look. Its head, the edges of its tail, parts of its wings, and its belly are all white. The top part of its body is a bright blue. It also has a clear dark line that goes right through its eye.
The azure tit is like a cousin to the common Eurasian blue tit found in the west. Sometimes, these two types of tits can have babies together. These baby birds are called Pleske's tits. They usually have a blue cap on their heads, unlike the white cap of a pure azure tit. The sounds they make are similar to the blue tit's calls, like "dee, dee, dee" or a scolding "churr." Their song sounds like "tsi-tsi-tshurr-tsi-tsi-tshurr."
Sometimes, azure tits are seen in other parts of Europe. There have been records of them in countries like Finland, Sweden, Poland, and Austria.
Contents
Understanding the Azure Tit's Name
For many years, the azure tit was known by the scientific name Parus cyanus. However, scientists studied the bird's DNA in 2005. They looked at specific parts of its DNA to understand its family tree better. This study showed that the Cyanistes group of birds separated from other tits very early on. Because of this, scientists decided that Cyanistes should be its own genus (a group of closely related species) instead of just a smaller group within Parus.
Pleske's Tit: A Special Hybrid Bird
The azure tit sometimes has babies with the blue tit in western Russia. When this happens, the baby birds are called Pleske's tit (Cyanistes × pleskei). For a while, people thought Pleske's tit was its own separate species. But now we know it is a hybrid, meaning it is a mix of two different species.
The Yellow-Breasted Tit Connection
There is a group of azure tits living in central Asia called the yellow-breasted tit (C. c. flavipectus or Parus flavipectus). Some scientists think this bird is a type of azure tit, while others consider it a separate species.
Images for kids
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Illustration of azure tit with "Pleske's tit" below
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Eggs from the Museum Wiesbaden Collection
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Cyanistes cyanus tianschanicus from the MHNT
