View source for Paridae

{{Automatic taxobox
| name = Tit
| image = Lophophanes cristatus -Aviemore, Scotland-8 (2).jpg
| image_caption = [[European crested tit]] in [[Scotland]]
| taxon = Paridae
| authority = [[Nicholas Aylward Vigors|Vigors]], 1825
| subdivision_ranks = [[Genus|Genera]]
| subdivision = 5–10, see text.
| range_map = Paridae Distribution.PNG
| range_map_caption = Global range (In green)
}}
The '''Paridae''' is a [[family (biology)|family]] of tiny [[bird]]s, the '''tits''' (called 'chickadees' or 'titmice' in [[North America]]). They are [[passerine]] [[songbird]]s which are native to the [[northern hemisphere]] and [[Africa]]. Most of them used to be classified in the [[genus]] ''Parus'', which has now been split up.

These birds are mainly small stocky [[woodland]] [[species]] with short stout  [[Beak|bills]]. Some have [[Crest (feathers)|crests]]. They range in length from 10 to 22 centimetres. They are adaptable birds, with a mixed [[diet]] including [[seed]]s and [[insect]]s.<ref name=EoB>{{cite book |editor=Forshaw, Joseph|author= Perrins, C.|year=1991|title=Encyclopaedia of Animals: Birds|publisher= Merehurst Press|location=London|pages= 202–203|isbn= 1-85391-186-0}}</ref> 

Many species will live around human habitation and come readily to [[bird feeder]]s for nuts or seed, and learn to take other foods. In Britain, [[great tit]]s and [[blue tit]]s learned to break through the foil caps sealing bottles of [[milk]] on doorsteps, to get at the [[cream]] on top. Of course, the change in milk packaging has robbed them of this delicacy.

These are hole-nesting birds, typically using trees, although some species build nests on the ground. They lay anything from three to nineteen speckled white [[Egg (biology)|eggs]], depending on species.<ref name=EoB/>

==Behaviour==
The tits are active, noisy, social birds. They are [[territory|territorial]] during the breeding season. The tits are highly adaptable and, after the [[Corvidae|corvids]] ([[crow]]s and [[jay]]s) and [[parrot]]s, amongst the most intelligent of all birds.<ref name ="HBW">{{Cite book | first1 = Andrew | last1 = Gosler | first2 = Peter | last2 = Clement | editor-first = Josep | editor-last = del Hoyo | editor2-first = Andrew | editor2-last = Elliott | editor3-first = David | editor3-last = Christie | contribution = Family Paridae (tits and chickadees) | title = Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 12: Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees | year = 2007 | pages = 662–709| place = Barcelona | publisher = Lynx Edicions | isbn = 9788496553422 }}</ref>

===Vocalisations===
[[File:Parus major.ogg|thumb|A [[great tit]] calling in [[Finland]].]]
The tits make a variety of calls and songs. They are amongst the most vocal of all birds, calling continuously and loudly. They are only ever silent for reasons such as avoiding [[predator]]s or when intruding on a [[rival]]'s territory. Quiet calls are made while feeding to keep contact with others in their social group.<ref name ="HBW"/> Other calls are used for signalling alarm—the most famous of which is the "Chic-a-dee-dee" of North American species in the genus ''Poecile''. The call also serves a rallying call to summon others to mob and harass the predator. It has been demonstrated through experiments that the number of "dee" syllables at the end of the call increases with the level of danger the predator poses.<ref>{{cite journal|year=2005|title=Allometry of alarm calls: black-capped chickadees encode information about predator size|journal=Science|volume=308|issue=5730|pages=1934–1937 | doi = 10.1126/science.1108841|pmid=15976305|s2cid=42276496|last1=Templeton|first1=Christopher N.|last2=Greene|first2=Erick|last3=Davis|first3=Kate|bibcode=2005Sci...308.1934T}}</ref>

===Diet and feeding===
[[File:Marsh tit, Leighton Moss, December 2008.jpg|thumb|Hammer-holding is a common way for the family to deal with food items]]
[[File:CyanistesCaeruleusWithForage.jpg|thumb|[[Blue tit]] with prey item]]

The tits are [[insectivorous]], and eat a wide range of small insects and other [[invertebrate]]s, particularly small [[leaf]]-eating [[caterpillar]]s. They also eat [[seed]]s and [[Nut (fruit)|nuts]], especially in winter. A typical activity is ''hanging'', where they inspect a branch or twig and leaves from all angles while hanging upside down to feed.<ref name ="HBW"/> 

In areas with several species of tit, the different species will forage (search) in different parts of a tree. Larger species search on the ground, medium sized species search on larger branches, and the smallest species on the ends of branches. If they get larger prey or seeds, tits will do 'hold-hammering'. They hold the item with one foot, and hammer it with their bill (beak) until it is open. In this way they can open [[hazelnut]]s in 20 minutes. 

Many birds store food in a [[wikt:cache|cache]] or hiding place. They hoard supplies of food for the winter.<ref>Jokinen S & J Suhonen 1995. Food caching by willow and crested tits: a test of scatterhoarding models. ''Ecology'' '''76''' (3): 892-898</ref> These caches are usually of seeds but may be of insects.

== Related pages ==
*[[Black-capped chickadee]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Passeri]]