Crested Tit
Parus cristatus
Distribution Britain 51 (+10.9%) Ireland 0
Numbers breeding: Britain 900 Ireland 0
European status: 4,000,000 (0% in Britain and Ireland)
British population trend: apparently increasing
How likely are you to record it? 3 squares (0.1%) Ranked 171=
The Crested Tit probably bred extensively through the Caledonian pine forests of the Highlands of Scotland before they were destroyed but, by the end of the 19th century, they seem to have been confined to a small part of the Spey Valley. At about this time a slow expansion seems to have started with more of the Spey Valley occupied and breeding birds being found in Caledonian forest or Scots pine plantations as far north as Easter Ross and west to Strath Farrar and Glen Affric. The birds are vulnerable to severe winters but they seem safe and probably set to
expand.
From The State of the Nations Birds
Copyright © 2000 by Chris Mead