Great Tit
Parus major
The Great Tit is a common species throughout the national territory. Attends a wide range of wooded areas, namely forests, montado landscapes, olive groves, riparian corridors, pine forests and urban parks.
The scientific name of the Great Tit has this meaning: Parus in Latin means precisely “titmouse” or “little bird” and gives the name to the Paridae family that also includes the Blue Tit; major means “the greatest” and alludes to the fact that the Great Tit is the largest of the European Tits.
The vocal repertoire of the species is very varied and shows some peculiarities. In a study published in 2010 it was possible to prove that some Great Tits emit false alarm notes in order to rule out other birds that compete with them for food, when it is scarce.
Text: João E. Rabaça