Azure Tit

Cyanistes cyanus - Mésange azurée

Systematics

Order
:
Passeriformes
Family
:
Paridés
Genus
:
Cyanistes
Species
:
cyanus

Descriptor

Pallas, 1770

Biometrics

Size
: 14 cm
Wingspan
: -
Weight
: 8 à 10 g

Geographic range

Distribution

Identification

The Azure Tit is the only one of its kind with a white crown. It is characterized by a black bar from the base of its beak to its neck, marked with a half-blue navy circle. The chest is white, with a faint black line. The legs and beak are black, and the eye is also black. The coat is rather fluffy, blue-gray, with a large white V visible on its wing, long tail bordered with white. Possible confusion with the Blue Tit, but the species' distribution does not allow for much error. On the young, the head and chest are grayish and the belly is yellowish. The adult's blue feathers are gray on the juveniles.

Subspecific information 8 subspecies

Cyanistes cyanus cyanus (Belarus, w and c European Russia to c Ural Mts.)
Cyanistes cyanus hyperrhiphaeus (sw Ural Mts., sw Siberia and n Kazakhstan)
Cyanistes cyanus yenisseensis (sc to e Siberia, n Mongolia and ne China)
Cyanistes cyanus tianschanicus (mountains of se Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and nw China)
Cyanistes cyanus koktalensis (lowlands of se Kazakhstan)
Cyanistes cyanus carruthersi (Kyrgyzstan to n Tajikistan)
Cyanistes cyanus flavipectus (s Kyrgyzstan to n Afghanistan)
Cyanistes cyanus berezowskii (nc China)

Foreign names

Mésange azurée,
Herrerillo azul,
chapim-de-cabeça-branca,
Lasurmeise,
lazúrcinege,
Azuurmees,
Cinciarella azzurra,
azurmes,
Asurmeis,
sýkorka lazúrová,
sýkora azurová,
Azurmejse,
valkopäätiainen,
mallerenga capblanca,
Hvítmeisa,
sikora lazurowa,
gaišzilā zīlīte,
sinji plavček,
Князёк,
ルリガラ,
灰蓝山雀,
灰藍山雀,

Voice song and cries

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Its song is similar to that of the Blue Tit, but with a more metallic sound tsii-tsii-dzi-dzi. The tsirr or tirrr tirr cries, still always very close to those of the Blue Tit.

Habitat

The Azure Tit loves deciduous forests, the willows lining the rivers, swamps and reeds.

Behaviour character trait

It is a very active bird. It can sometimes hybridise with the Blue Tit, in which case it is called Parus pleskei. This hybridisation can also come from captive birds that manage to escape? Observations in Germany, France. It is sometimes found in flocks with Goldcrests (Regulus regulus) and/or warblers (Phylloscopus).

Dietfeeding habits

The Azure Tit feeds mainly on insects that it captures in flight, but also on larvae. It does not neglect seeds and/or fruits.

Reproduction nesting

Azure Tits can nest several tens of metres to several hundreds of metres away from each other. The nest is made of leaves, mosses, stems and various fibres. The breeding season starts at the end of March, beginning of April, with egg-laying from the beginning of April; about 10 white eggs with light red spots, incubated by the female for 13-14 days, is followed by a 20-day feeding period and fledging of the young in June.

Geographic range

She is primarily present in Russia's Far East, sometimes around Moscow, in Ukraine, occasionally in Finland, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Sweden after the breeding period. It is also present in China and Mongolia up to 1,800 to 2,000 metres.