Marsh Tit

The tit family includes two species that look quite similar and can be confused with each other: the Marsh Tit and the Willow Tit. As with many birds, the best way to tell them apart is to pay attention to their voices, as we will see in the following chapter.
The Marsh Tit has seven subspecies which show small differences from each other. To identify those present in France, we will focus on the nominate subspecies palustris. [Between brackets, its counterpart in the Willow Tit]. The head carries a blackish cap which encircles the black eye and continues to the nape. In adults, this black is glossy [dull cap]. The cheeks are white and a very well-defined line separates them from the pale rump [white cheeks continues to the black nape]. A small and clearly-defined moustache occupies the chin [larger, less sharply-defined moustache]. The beak is black with a light stain at its base [all-black beak]. The upper parts, body and wing covers, are of a grayish-brown hue. The lower parts are somewhat red-tinged white, particularly around the flanks [more obviously rufous lower parts]. The primaries and secondaries are blackish with thin streaks of light which do not form larger paler patches on the secondaries [obvious whitish patch on the secondaries]. The legs are grey. Finally, a clue which can only be assessed when handling the bird is the tip of its tail. It's rather truncated in the Marsh Tit, with minimum 4mm distance between the central and the external rectrices [more than 4mm].
Juveniles look like adults, but have a matte black flush on their head. Their upper parts are paler and a bit grayer. The moustache is less developed and almost checkerboard.The cheeks and underside are whiter.