Varied Tit

Overview

The varied tit (Sittiparus varius) is a perching bird belonging to the tit family, Paridae. It is native to the eastern Palearctic and is currently classified as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Measures 12–14 cm in length with a weight of 16–18 g.
• In the nominate race, the crown, bill, throat, upper breast, and nape are black, while the forehead, face, and cheeks are white.
• The back, wings, and tail are bluish grey, contrasting with the chestnut mantle, lower breast, belly, and undertail coverts.
• A thin white central line runs from the crown to the nape, and the feet are dark grey.
• The call consists of tiny tones that sound like 'tzu....tzu....tzu...'.

Habitat

This species inhabits open mixed forests, particularly those containing Japanese Castanopsis and Japanese larch, as well as coniferous forests with Japanese yews, Cryptomeria, and pines. It also utilises bamboo forests located on mountain slopes and in river valleys. Its range covers Japan, Korea, local areas in northeastern China (southern Liaoning), and the extreme southeastern Russian Kurile Islands.

Diet

The varied tit consumes a mixed diet consisting of seeds and insects, specifically caterpillars.

Did you know?

In Japan, these birds are used in a performance known as 'omikujihiki' where they interact with a model Shinto shrine to draw fortune-telling slips. They may deposit coins, ring bells, and use their beaks to cut strings or tape to open the doors and retrieve the slips.