Parus major -- Linnaeus, 1758ANIMALIA -- CHORDATA -- AVES -- PASSERIFORMES -- PARIDAECommon names: Great Tit;

European Red List AssessmentEuropean Red List Status

LC -- Least Concern, (IUCN version 3.1)

Assessment InformationYear published: 2015Date assessed: 2015-03-31Assessor(s): BirdLife InternationalReviewer(s): Symes, A.Compiler(s): Ashpole, J., Burfield, I., Ieronymidou, C., Pople, R., Wheatley, H. & Wright, L.Assessment RationaleEuropean regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)EU27 regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)

At both European and EU27 scales this species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence 10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). The population trend appears to be increasing, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (30% decline over ten years or three generations).

For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern within both Europe and the EU27.

OccurrenceCountries/Territories of OccurrenceNative:Albania; Andorra; Armenia; Austria; Azerbaijan; Belarus; Belgium; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Croatia; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Estonia; Finland; France; Georgia; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Ireland, Rep. of; Italy; Latvia; Liechtenstein; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Moldova; Montenegro; Netherlands; Norway; Poland; Portugal; Romania; Russian Federation; Serbia; Slovakia; Slovenia; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; Turkey; Ukraine; United Kingdom; Gibraltar (to UK)Vagrant:Iceland; Malta

PopulationThe European population is estimated at 65,100,000-106,000,000 pairs, which equates to 130,000,000-211,000,000 mature individuals. The population in the EU27 is estimated at 41,700,000-69,100,000 pairs, which equates to 83,400,000-138,000,000 mature individuals. For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF.

TrendIn Europe and the EU27 the population size is estimated to be increasing. For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF.

Habitats and EcologyThis species occupies mostly open deciduous and mixed forests and edges and clearings in dense forest, including conifer forests and boreal taiga. It is also found more widely in plantations, hedgerows, orchards, parks, gardens, the edges of cultivation, olive groves and almost any group of trees or bushes. In Europe shows preference for oaks (Quercus) (Gosler et al. 2013). Egg-laying begins in March to April in southern lowlands and in May in the north but over most of Europe it begins in April (Snow and Perrins 1998). The nest is built by the female, mostly of plant fibres, grasses, moss, animal hair, wool and feathers, placed at variable height in a hole or a cavity in a tree, occasionally in a wall, rock face or building. Frequently uses

nestboxes (Gosler et al. 2013). Clutches are usually six to eleven eggs in Europe. It feeds on a wide variety of insects, as well as spiders, seeds and fruit (Snow and Perrins 1998). The species is generally resident but does undertake seasonal altitudinal movements and is partially eruptive (Gosler et al. 2013).Habitats & Altitude

Habitat (level 1 - level 2) Importance OccurrenceArtificial/Terrestrial - Arable Land suitable residentArtificial/Terrestrial - Plantations suitable residentArtificial/Terrestrial - Rural Gardens suitable residentArtificial/Terrestrial - Urban Areas suitable residentForest - Boreal suitable residentForest - Temperate major residentGrassland - Temperate suitable residentShrubland - Temperate suitable residentAltitude max. 1950 m Occasional altitudinal limits

ThreatsIncreased spring temperatures are resulting in a mismatch between food availability and offspring requirements leading to lowered reproductive success in at least some populations (Visser et al. 1998, Visser et al. 2006).Threats & Impacts

Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and StressesClimate change & severe weather

Other impacts Timing Scope Severity ImpactOngoing Unknown Unknown Unknown

StressesReduced reproductive success

ConservationConservation Actions UnderwayBern Convention Appendix II. There are currently no known conservation measures for this species.

Conservation Actions ProposedCurrently no conservation measures are needed for this species.

BibliographyGosler, A., Clement, P. and Christie, D.A. 2013. Great Tit (Parus major). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. and de Juana, E. (eds.) 2013. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from http://www.hbw.com/node/59900 on 17 March 2015).Snow, D.W. and Perrins, C.M. 1998. The Birds of the Western Palearctic vol. 2: Passerines. Oxford University Press, Oxford.Visser, M.E., van Noordwijk, A.J., Tinbergen, J.M. and Lessells, C.M. 1998. Warmer springs lead to mis-timed reproduction in Great Tits (Parus major). Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B. 265: 1867-1870.Visser M.E., Holleman L.J.M and Gienapp, P. 2006. Shifts in caterpillar biomass phenology due to climate change and its impact on the breeding biology of an insectivorous bird. Oecologia 147: 164-172.

Map (see overleaf)