Appearance:

Glossy black hood and plain, pale brown upperparts. Cheeks brownish towards nape. Small, rounded, black bib. Small pale spot on base of upper mandible (often surprisingly visible, despite small size). Very similar to Willow Tit, especially British sub.sp. Willow tit has bigger head, not so glossy cap, whiter cheeks, larger bib and pale wing panel.

Sound:

Most easily identified by sound. Especially in areas where plumage is less distinct compared to Willow Tit, like in Britain. Most typical call an explosive, sneeze-like "pee-choo", starting high-pitched and ending on a lower note.

Also calls "chaa chaa chaa" but not so nasal and drawn-out as willow tit. Song: A simple one or two note call repeated in series. Usually rising slightly in pitch, and with a "liquid" quality. Sometimes also a ringing, vibrating song. Generally has a much sharper tone than the soft song of willow tit. Other calls: Various high pitched sound. Often quite explosive.

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

Appearance:

Male unmistakable. Blue throat with rufous red or white center, white supercilium and rufous base of outer tail feathers. Female lacking, or having just a partially blue throat. Female and juveniles could be confused with Redstart because of the rufous tail, but note its dark, bold trailing edge and center. An elegant and fairly long-legged chat that often flicks its wings and cocks its tail.

Sound:

Song: Structure slightly similar to Nightingale, but tone much thinner and less full-bodied. A good impersonator and various imitations are interwoven among metallic, ringing sounds to form a complex, intriguing song. Call: "pju-check". Double syllable starting as a descending whistle, and ending on a short "check".

Song:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC