Appearance:

Similar to Reed Warbler but note very short primary projection, evenly coloured wings with dull tertials. Under tail-coverts almost white, with very little buff tinge. Legs overall darker than congeners. Immature birds with slightly paler legs and warmer upperparts and fringes to flight-feathers. Leaves a slimmer impression than Reed- and Marsh W., with flatter forehead and tapering bill. Posture often Sylvia-like with frequent cocking, flicking and fanning of tail.

Sound:

Contact call a short and sharp Lesser Whitethroat-like "tek", different from Mars W. Alarm call a dry, rolling "krrrreet", often with a register break splitting into high register overtones. Song recalls Marsh Warbler in timbre but is generally diagnostic. Tempo slow and deliberate, pace recalling that of Song Thrush, with marked pauses. Typical articulate, arpeggio-like whistling motifs alternated by mimicry are often repeated many times. Daytime song less typical than normal song at night, with faster pace and less repetition.

Song:

Distribution:

Xeno-canto: map

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

CC

Sound recording:Recorded by Edmunds Racinskis

Appearance:

Very similar to Marsh Tit, but cheeks whiter, head bigger, and upperparts greyer with white wing-panel. Black bib wider and bigger than in Marsh Tit. Lacks white spot at base of upper mandible. Willow Tits in Great Britain are warmer brown and are more difficult to separate from Marsh Tit.

Sound:

Call: Most characteristic call a frequently uttered, nasal "ti ti chaa chaa chaa". First notes high pitched and the following lower, coarse, nasal and drawn. Sometimes uttered without the introductory high pitched notes. Song: One or two soft, clear, melancholic notes repeated in a slow, even rhythm. At first rising slightly in pitch, then gradually falling. In some areas song is evenly pitched. Other sounds: high pitced "zi zi" similar to other tits.

Alarm:

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