The Long-tailed Tit is a common winter visitor in Central European gardens. It is instantly recognizable by its extremely long tail and round, lightweight body. Long-tailed Tits almost never appear alone; they move in fast, tight-knit winter flocks. At feeders they stay only a few seconds before moving on together.

EN: Long-tailed Tit
NL: Staartmees
DE: Schwanzmeise
Scientific name: Aegithalos caudatus

Identification

Size: 13–16 cm (with 7–9 cm tail)

Plumage:

White face

Dark or blackish crown (depending on subspecies)

Pinkish flanks

Very long, narrow tail

Winter habitat

Shrubby gardens

Hedgerows

Parks

Forest edges

Mixed and deciduous forests

Diet

Small insects and spiders

Insect eggs and larvae

Aphids

Winter: soft fat foods, tiny seeds, mealworms

Behavior

Always in groups (6–20 birds)

Very active and restless

Soft high-pitched calls “si-si-si”

Excellent at navigating thin branches

Only very brief feeder visits

Importance for gardens

A flock of Long-tailed Tits is always a highlight because:

they appear suddenly

they leave quickly

they are very photogenic

group movement creates dynamic livestream scenes

If they show up on your stream, it’s a short, high-energy moment viewers love.