The name of the genus is Moscow tit. How does a Muscovite get along with a person?

• Order: Passeriformes = Passeriformes, passeriformes
• Suborder: Oscines = Singers
• Family: Paridae = Tit
• Subfamily: Parinae = Tits

Species: Parus ater Linnaeus, 1758 = Moskovka

The Muscovy, with a body length of only about 11 centimeters for males and even smaller for females, is one of the smallest representatives of the tit family. This is a fidgety, rather short-tailed bird with somewhat bristly feathers on its head. The head is velvety black above with bright white cheeks (marred below by black). There is also a white spot on the black back of the head. It is quite possible that modern name“Moskovka”, comes from the old name “maskovka”, i.e. tit with a mask on its “face”.

The bright black plumage is located on the throat and chest in the form of a large shirtfront. The dorsal side is dark gray, the belly is light gray, with reddishness on the sides and without a black longitudinal stripe. The wings and tail are bluish-gray, darker and browner on the flight feathers and tail feathers. There are two white stripes on the wings. Young birds in nesting plumage are noticeably duller than adults, since their white areas are yellowish, although they have all the basic colors of their parents.

Muscovy has a fairly wide range and is distributed throughout Europe, found in northwestern Africa, Lesser and Central Asia. In the Russian European part, it inhabits subpolar forests from the Kola Peninsula and south to the border of large forests. Although it lives sedentarily in the mountains of Crimea, the Caucasus and Southern Siberia, in Ukraine and the Lower Volga it is found only in autumn and winter, during winter migrations. Within its extensive geographic range, the Muscovy shows subspecific differences in the degree of reddishness of the lower part of the chest and shades of the upper side of the body. The size of the body and parietal crest is also variable.

The distribution of Muscovy throughout the forested regions of Russia depends on its obvious attraction to coniferous species. The most favorite habitats of Muscovites are old mossy spruce forests with half-rotten hollow trunks of individual deciduous trees. In mountainous areas they mainly live in the coniferous forest zone, and in the Crimea - in the beech forest zone.

In the forests where Muscovites live, you can constantly hear the thin tit whistling “tsit” and loud cries of “tyu-pi...”, “tsi-pi” or “ti-ti-tyuy”. Looking for food, Muscovites swarm around large spruce trees, hanging in all sorts of positions from branches and cones in search of prey. Together with the kinglets, they carefully examine the trees in search of small insects. The basis of their prey is mainly weevils, bark beetles, as well as small hairy caterpillars, from which these dexterous birds pluck out their soft insides. With the arrival of winter, Muscovites diversify their menu with spruce seeds. To profit from their high-calorie contents, they squeeze the seed between their fingers, after which they crush the shell of the seed with frequent blows of their small beak.

The Muscovite lives mainly in coniferous forests, less often inhabiting dense mixed forests. The migrations of these tits are more developed than those of other related species, so in some places, starting in August, their real migration takes place. Therefore, in winter, nomadic Muscovites can be found as far south as the steppe Ukraine, and from Siberia they reach Central Asia. At the same time, there are distinct fluctuations in their numbers, which probably depend on local seasonal conditions in the coniferous forests of the northern zone, where the bulk of the Muscovites nest. Fluctuations in the number of offspring associated with meteorological and feeding seasonal conditions can also determine the number of migrating individuals. It rarely visits artificial feeders and almost never flies into populated areas.

The Muscovy nests in coniferous forests, mainly spruce, less often in mixed forests. She preferably places her nest in hollows coniferous trees, at a low height (often about 1 m). It often makes a nest in rotten stumps, less often between the bare roots of large trees. The size of the taphole is very small and, as a rule, does not exceed 25-30 mm in diameter.

The outer walls of its nest are made of moss and, if possible, horsehair; The inner tray is lined with wool, sometimes using bird feathers and cobwebs for this purpose.

Egg laying in Muscovites is usually observed in late April - early May. A complete clutch of Muscovy consists of 7-11 white eggs with reddish-brown specks densely located on the shell, often forming a corolla at the blunt end of the egg. Egg dimensions: 14 x 11 mm. Both females and males incubate the eggs for twelve to fourteen (up to sixteen) days. For about the same amount of time, the chicks stay at full board with their parents while sitting in the nest. In early June, flight chicks appear. In mid-summer, many pairs of Muscovites have a second clutch, but it no longer contains more than 6-7 eggs.

Broods of Muscovites are very noisy and therefore clearly visible from afar, like other tits. Therefore, the squeak of a dozen young birds, in chorus demanding food from their parents, can be heard from afar. Later, at the end of summer, broods from different families unite together, and then autumn flocks of Muscovites reach large sizes. Often a few Muscovites join for a time the nomadic flocks of tits, consisting of great, tufted and other tits and chickadees. At the same time, Muscovites in these flocks prefer to stay somewhat aloof, flitting along the tops of coniferous trees after the flock, looking for prey.

Sinitsa-maskoўka (formerly - Sinitsa black)

The entire territory of Belarus

Tit family - Paridae.

In Belarus - P. a. ater.

Breeding sedentary and nomadic species. Common in northern and central parts republic view; in the south - few, even rare. However, it is unevenly distributed everywhere.

The smallest of our tits. The color of the plumage is dark. The throat, top of the chest, top of the head and sides of the back of the head are black, the cheeks and middle of the back of the head are white. The back, flight and tail feathers are gray, the belly is brownish-gray. The beak and legs are gray. Young birds have yellow cheeks. Weight of male 8-11 g, female 9-11 g. Body length (both sexes) 10-12 cm, wingspan 17-21 cm, wing length 6 cm, tail 4.5-4.7 cm, tarsus 0.9 -1 cm.

A very active bird, it mostly stays high in the treetops. The male's song is very similar to the song of the great tit, but not as loud, higher-pitched and hasty.

A typical inhabitant of spruce forests. It is especially closely associated with them during nesting time (this explains the nature of its distribution). It also lives in spruce-deciduous forests. It is less common in pine forests - if there is spruce there. Avoids purely deciduous forests. Prefers large tracts of old-growth, often moist forest. Less common than many other species of tits, it is found in the vicinity of humans - only sometimes in large forest parks. Only in winter is it sometimes found in populated areas.

It nests in separate pairs, which are located far from each other. It makes nests in hollows of mainly coniferous trees, in particular in natural cavities formed in rotten trunks or rotten stumps, and sometimes in old woodpecker hollows. The height of their location above the ground usually does not exceed 1 m, occasionally reaching 10 m. The dimensions of the hollows are also small: depth 10-15 cm, width 5-10, diameter of the hole 2-3, occasionally up to 4.5 cm. In some cases it can nest in artificial nesting boxes such as “titmouses” and, as an exception, in niches of concrete pillars and abandoned buildings. Before starting to build a nest, the bird always clears the hollows. Construction material It is mainly green moss mixed with horsehair and sometimes thin dry blades of grass. The tray is lined with a thick layer of animal fur, occasionally containing a small amount of small feathers and lumps of cobwebs. Tray depth (lit.) 3.5-4.5 cm, diameter 4.5 cm.

There are 7-10 eggs in a clutch (in some areas of Europe, clutches of 11-12 eggs were found). The shell is matte, milky white with small rusty red and rusty brown spots, sometimes with curls. At the blunt end, the spots form a corolla. Occasionally, coarsely spotted eggs or, conversely, almost white eggs are found. Egg weight 1.1 g, length 16 mm, diameter 13-14 mm.

Egg laying begins at the end of April. Fresh clutches appear during the first half of May. There are two broods per year. The second clutches are observed in the second half of June. The female incubates for 14-16 days. The chicks are fed by both parents. At the age of 16-17 days, young birds fly out of the nest. Additional feeding of fledglings outside the nest lasts 8–10 days. They are fed by both parents with various invertebrates. Food is collected mainly in the crown of the tree on which the nest is located, or close to it. The area of ​​the hunting area in the Brest and Ivatsevichi forestry enterprises is 4.5–6 thousand m².

At the end of summer, the broods break up, and young birds begin to disperse, sometimes making long-distance migrations. Adults are more sedentary and adhere to a certain territory all year round.

In autumn, the number of Muscovites increases due to individuals migrating from the north. At this time, they are found in flocks of kinglets, pikas, chickadees and tufted tits; independent flocks of 10-20 individuals are less common.

They feed on insects, their larvae, pupae and eggs, searching for them in the crowns of coniferous trees. In addition, coniferous seeds are used as the main food, especially in winter, which are taken from opening cones or collected in the snow. They store excess food all year round, hiding it among the needles or in the crevices of the bark.

The number in Belarus is estimated at 50–100 thousand pairs.

The maximum age recorded in Europe is 9 years 5 months.

Literature

1. Grichik V.V., Burko L.D. "Fauna of Belarus. Vertebrates: textbook" Minsk, 2013. -399 p.

2. Nikiforov M. E., Yaminsky B. V., Shklyarov L. P. “Birds of Belarus: A guide to nests and eggs” Minsk, 1989. -479 p.

3. Gaiduk V. E., Abramova I. V. "Ecology of birds in the southwest of Belarus. Passeriformes: monograph." Brest, 2013. –298 p.

4. Fedyushin A.V., Dolbik M.S. “Birds of Belarus”. Minsk, 1967. -521 p.

5. Abramova I. V., Gaiduk V. E. “Activity of species of the tit family (Paridae, Passeriformes) during the nesting period in forest ecosystems” / Newsletter of the Brassk University. Gray 5. Chemistry. Biology. Sciences of the Earth No. 1. 2017. P.5-13

6. Fransson, T., Jansson, L., Kolehmainen, T., Kroon, C. & Wenninger, T. (2017) EURING list of longevity records for European birds.

The Muscovy is one of our smallest and nimble tits. Like kinglets, it prefers to stay in the tops of tall coniferous trees, examining the outer parts and terminal branches of the crowns. Probably formed in dark coniferous (mainly spruce) forests East Asia with their ancient formations of spruce and fir. The Muscovy's obvious affinity for spruce is clearly evident throughout its vast range from the mountain forests of Southeast Asia to the western coasts of Europe and the Atlas Mountains in Africa. Starting from the primary areas of its birth, it is at the same time closely associated with mountain spruce forests and, in addition to hollows, often nests in crevices and cracks of rocks. The connections between Muscovy and pine are clearly expressed, but less clear. According to a number of characteristics (and most importantly - the song), the Muscovy is very close to the great tit (more precisely, to the group of green great tits). Since the place of primary origin of the group of green tits was also Southeast Asia, this directly indicates that the Muscovy and great tits have common and close ancestors. These connections have been preserved so clearly that both species (great tit and Muscovy) have the same types of songs in their repertoire. The structure of the songs themselves is similar, and the laws of their development are identical. However, even close connections with mountains and spruce still do not allow us to call the Muscovy a northern or even taiga bird, since the northern border of its range in many areas does not reach the northern borders of spruce and is limited only to areas of highly productive and tall spruce forests. Although this pattern is not observed everywhere.

Moskovka - apparently very strong, at the stage intensive development, exceptionally dynamic appearance. In this respect, it resembles its historical partners in spruce forests - the crossbill and kinglet. All these 3 species are prone to sudden changes in numbers, wide movements and sudden mass flights - migrations. In the case of crossbill-spruce and Muscovy, this is largely due to fluctuations in spruce cone yields. The crossbill has the most powerful migrations and population outbreaks, since its existence directly depends on seed yields. For Muscovy, these connections are weakened, because it depends to a greater extent not on cone yields, but on those pests that in large numbers infect spruce, its cones and seeds. The kinglet’s connections with the spruce are even more indirect, and for him the spruce is more like a substrate on which he collects everything he can find. The number of kinglets is an indicator of the general condition of the spruce forest and its specific entomofauna.

In the vast expanses of its range, the Muscovy is often a sedentary, partially nomadic, and sometimes strictly migratory bird with a pronounced tendency to mass sudden migrations. The Muscovy nests mainly in spruce, less often pine (usually tall-trunk) forests. Avoids spruce and pine young trees. In mixed, deciduous forests and riverine forests, it usually nests only where there are at least single tall spruce trees. Like most sedentary birds, it is prone to massive storage of food and strong preservation of permanent pairs. During non-breeding times, it often stays together and wanders with flocks of nuthatches, chickadees, gennaders, great tits and pikas.

The first signs of spring revival sometimes appear in December - January, but more often in February - March. The height of spring games is in March - early April. These days, Muscovy women not only sing a lot, become very loud and noisy, but often chase each other around tall fir trees. Breeding pairs of Muscovites often form before they appear on the site where they will build a nest. Both birds work together to find a place for a nest and mark the nesting site itself. Old birds, even joining a flock for the winter, do not lose their connections. They also appear in pairs at feeders among other tits when they remain in their nesting area for the winter. And yet many, and sometimes very many, Muscovites migrate far from their usual nesting sites. The further north the birds nest, the more often and regularly they fly away and migrate south for the winter. More often, young birds - fingerlings - go on migrations and long-distance migrations.

In the middle zone, Muscovites begin nesting in mid-April. They usually occupy old hollows of chickadees, less often - small spotted woodpeckers, sometimes they build a nest under the roots of trees, in artificial hollows and even in empty burrows of rodents. In the mountains of Siberia, Central Asia and the Caucasus, where the Muscovy nests, its nests are often found in crevices and cracks of rocks. Muscovy can be attracted to personal plots, gardens and parks, where tall pines and spruce trees grow. Huts for Muscovy must be made from thin stumps of aspen, birch or alder trunks. The Muscovite colonizes spruce and pine nests well with a small (20-30 mm in diameter) entrance, especially if the nests are hung in groups of tall spruce trees. Sometimes the female builds her own hollow, plucking it out in rotten aspen, birch or alder trees, in stumps or in tree trunks fallen to the ground.

At the selected nesting site, especially with a ready-made hollow, the male Muscovy sings a lot and regularly. Unlike other birds, it sings very rarely near the nest and only when mating, courting a female, or accompanying her during feeding or collecting nesting material. At the same time, he often interrupts singing, feeds himself and feeds the female. Feeding the female before mating and the start of laying is of a ritual nature. At the same time, the male lowers his wings, hunches unnaturally, flutters his wings finely and quietly circles, making peculiar buzzing sounds. The female often takes the pose of a chick begging for food and also flutters her wings finely, sometimes taking a spread-eagle pose.

The male usually sings his duty (or working) song far away, often 50-70 m from the nest, sitting on the crown of a tall spruce. It seems to become a kind of beacon, signaling that Muscovites are nesting in this area. The main point of guard singing is chosen at one of the most noticeable places where one can expect the appearance or flight of other Muscovites. The song of the Muscovy, like the song of the great tit, is evolutionarily built on the basis of its calls. The song is not complex, usually includes 2-3 sounds from 2 or 3 types of urges. Sometimes a song sounds even simpler - like a repetition of one urge. Most often, Muscovite songs are conveyed with the following sounds: “cog-cog-cog-cog...” or “tsi-vin... tsvin-tsvin-tsvin”, “tsvin-tsvin-tsvin”, etc. But this is just an elementary simplified diagram. In fact, the vocal repertoire of Muscovite women is very rich. Each bird may have 7-11 distinctly different song types. There are cases when, after several years of life in captivity, Muscovites delighted their owner with a new or even several new songs.

In the middle zone, Muscovites do not really like to nest nearby. The nearest nests are usually located at a distance of no closer than 50-70 m. However, males can sing at their guard posts and 15-20 m from each other. But then they don't sing at the same time. And if this happens, they prefer to be located at opposite ends of their territories. As with many other birds, in such situations, neighboring males may engage in vocal coordination with each other. At the same time, they sometimes choose the same songs from their repertoire and then signal to all other males that birds with related blood have settled here. Sometimes Muscovites enter into a real vocal tournament with each other and then, in the most intricate and unexpected way, they begin to juggle all their songs in front of each other, demonstrating their experience, talent and strength. This is how hierarchical ranks among birds can be established in Muscovite settlements. However, it is extremely rare to find a group settlement of Muscovite women in central Russia. Sometimes Muscovites nest next to great tits (nests can be located very close to each other, 15-20 m). Then the Muscovy often sings in concert with the great tit, and the tit often answers her willingly. The vocal repertoire of a small group of Muscovites or a settlement of 20-30 birds can be very rich. Many birds have both the same and different types of songs (or, more precisely, types of syllables that make up the song). Many birds in such a group may have unusual, rare songs. Thanks to such diversity in the distribution of songs, the general arsenal of song types among Muscovite women in a certain area is often very rich. The vocal repertoires of geographically distant groups (populations) also differ sharply. Certain types of songs have different areas of territory. There are very widespread types of songs with huge areas, and there are classes and types of songs with local areas.

The usual sound signaling system of Muscovites, functioning on the basis of urges, is also complex and varied. Like other tits and kinglets, Muscovites have a very developed system of “qi” signals, which works on an emotional, combinatorial basis. The speed and frequency of reproduction (repetition) of these sounds are determined by the level of emotional arousal of the bird. The signal is emitted calmer, quieter and less frequently - danger or anxiety decreases, more often - increases, etc. Sharp “tsit” and “sit” mean fear. Lengthening the signal from “qi” to “tzii”, “tzii” means a warning, a warning. The total supply of Muscovite signals is very large.

The nest of the Muscovy is built by the female, using moss, which she fastens with wool or horsehair. The tray is sometimes lined with a small number of feathers and cobwebs. Building a nest takes 4-5 days. Clutch of 6-11 white eggs with reddish spots in April - June. There are usually 2 clutches per year. Incubation begins after the penultimate or last egg is laid and lasts 13-14 days. Only the female incubates. At this time, the male periodically feeds her, but the female herself flies to the nearest spruce trees to feed.

The chicks are fed by both parents. For the chicks, parents collect food in the crowns of spruce trees, less often pine trees, on the nesting tree or not far from it. Sometimes pupae ("ant eggs") are selected from ant heaps. The area of ​​the couple's hunting area is from 4000 to 6000 m2. The food of nesting chicks of the first brood is quite homogeneous and often consists exclusively of representatives of the entomofauna of pine and spruce (from the caterpillars of the pine budworm and the pine pine moth, damaging spruce cones; larvae of the pine sawfly, spiders, aphids). According to the observations of A.A. Inozemtsev, shortly before departure, the chicks begin to receive small beetles and hymenoptera. The male often passes food to the female, and she then feeds the chicks. In preparation for the second clutch, the male often takes on additional feeding of the chicks after they fly out of the nest, while the female is already building a new nest at this time. Supplementary feeding lasts 8-10 days. The male sometimes leaves the chicks and begins to sing actively again before the second clutch. After the next singing session, he returns to the brood and continues to feed the fledglings. Construction of the second nest usually begins in the second half of June.

In July, the formation of family flocks, groups of young birds and mixed flocks of Coontails, Chickadees, Grenadiers, Nuthatches, Pikas, Kinglets and Woodpeckers begins. In August, Muscovites are found on migrations in all coniferous forests, and there are many of them in September. In September, the migration of northern Muscovites begins. During years of large numbers of Muscovy moths, you can see them moving in small flocks in a south and south-west direction. When the spruce seeds are harvested, large numbers of Muscovites remain for the winter in their nesting areas. Flocks of Muscovites are especially numerous when, in productive years, spruce cones and needles are heavily affected by the cone borer, sawfly, or other widespread pests of spruce. Similar situations arise with the development of mass pine pests, although Muscovites do not react so sensitively to outbreaks of pine pests.

In autumn and winter, Muscovites, in addition to insects, eat spruce and pine seeds. Muscovites store food throughout the year, but do this especially intensively in late summer and autumn. Among the reserves, spruce and pine seeds often predominate, but there are also reserves of animal feed. In the spring you can see Muscovites eating aspen anthers and drinking the sap of birch, maple, linden and other trees. During their massive raids, Muscovites often stay in places uncharacteristic for them and can even look for food in reed thickets.

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The Muscovy is the smallest titmouse. Its main difference from its tit sisters is its beautiful voice, which is why they called the Muscovite songbird. The coloring is dominated by dark tones, for which the Muscovy was given another name - black tit. The head is shiny black on top, with a white spot on the back of the neck. Throat black. There are white spots on the back of the head and cheeks, the back is gray, the chest and underside of the body are dirty white, and there is an ocher coating on the sides. The wings and tail are grayish-brown. A light transverse stripe is visible on the wings. Males and females are identical in color.

Distributed throughout Russia from the westernmost borders to Sakhalin, Primorsky Krai and Kamchatka. In large cities it is found in parks and forested areas on the outskirts of the city. It is especially noticeable in the city during winter migrations during the years of spruce and pine cone harvest.

The Muscovite lives mainly in spruce or pine forests. She makes a nest in old hollows, in the roots of fallen trees, in the cracks of wooden houses. Not finding a suitable hollow, it also occupies abandoned rodent holes. The nest is constructed from moss and scraps of wool from various animals; the inner layer of the nest always contains cobwebs and downy feathers.

In the summer, when the chicks appear, titmice and other titmice unite in noisy flocks and roam the forest together in search of food. These birds feed exclusively on insects, caterpillars, butterflies, and in winter they consume the seeds of coniferous trees. Muscovy tits love to store supplies, and they hide the caught caterpillar or butterfly on the inside of the branch so that the snow that falls in winter does not interfere with getting to the pantry.

The voice of the Moscow tit:

Text used:
A. Gorkanova. "Migratory and wintering birds of Russia. Thematic dictionary in pictures"

Appearance and behavior. A small (much smaller than a sparrow), modestly colored bird. The smallest tit in Europe and Russia. Body length 10–12 cm, weight 7–12 g. Within the region under consideration, it is represented by three subspecies, two of which are included in a separate group of subspecies “ phaeonotus", common in the Caucasus, Turkey and the Middle East. All subspecies of this group are well distinguished from the nominative subspecies ( R. a. ater), inhabiting the center of European Russia.

Description. The male and female are similarly colored. Birds of the nominate subspecies have bluish-gray upperparts with a slight olive tint, white underparts, and brownish-buffy sides and undertail. The top of the head from the forehead to the back of the head, as well as the sides of the head, are black with a bluish metallic sheen. Occasionally, when in a particularly excited state, the bird can raise the plumage of its cap in the form of a tiny crest. There is a large white spot on the back of the neck. The throat and upper chest are black. From the eye line and ear coverts to the throat and top of the chest there is a large white field - the “cheek”. In the Muscovy it is not as regular in shape as, for example, in the Muscovy; its clear outline, limited by the black plumage of the throat and sides of the head, is interrupted in the area of ​​the wing bend. Here, under the fold of the wing, on the sides of the chest there are small blurry black spots. The tail and wing are slightly darker and more brownish than the back. The tips of the greater and middle coverts of the secondary flight feathers are white; at a distance they merge into two contrasting white stripes. At the ends of the tertiary flight feathers, small white edges are clearly visible. The eye and beak are black, the paws are bluish-gray.

The female is slightly more dull in color. Her upper body is more olive, her cap is more matte, almost without shine, her throat and chest have a brownish tint. Young birds have dark gray upperparts, with a brownish or olive tint. The cap is blackish-gray, the throat is brownish, and there is a pale yellowish coating on the cheeks and occipital patch. The white stripes on the wing are duller.

Muscovites living in the Caucasus belong to two subspecies - R. a. derjugini(Black Sea coast of the Caucasus) and R. a. michalowskii (North Caucasus). They differ slightly from each other, the birds of the latter subspecies are shorter-billed and more buffy below, and both of them are well distinguished from the birds of the nominative subspecies, which are more large sizes body, wing and beak, olive-gray top, whitish bottom and rich buffy sides. The Muscovy differs from all other tits in the region by its smaller size, slightly shortened tail, two white stripes on the wing and a contrasting white spot on the back of the head. Unlike the great tit, the plumage of the Muscovy lacks yellow and green color, there is no black “tie” - a wide strip running from the bottom of the throat to the belly.

Voice quiet, high, “squeaky.” The set of calls includes individual thin whistles " puiii...», « blue...», « teiiiit...", paired phrases " syu-pii...», « vi-ti...", a dry trill " Tirrrrrr-ti...", characteristic high rapid chirp " Si-si-si-si-si...", very similar to the squeak of a yellow-headed kinglet. The song is a frequently repeated two- or three-syllable phrase " pee-choo...», « ti-vi-tiu..." or " pi-tee..." Both males and females sing.

Distribution, status. Inhabits coniferous and mixed forests of Eurasia and North Africa. The populations of the central zone and the Caucasus are sedentary, the northern populations make regular, sometimes quite massive winter migrations to the south. In some winters, birds of the nominate subspecies may appear in the Caucasus. It is quite common in the corresponding biotopes, but due to its habit of feeding in the uppermost tier of crowns and its relatively quiet voice, the Muscovy is not as noticeable as other tits. One of the common wintering birds in city parks and squares.

Lifestyle. The biotopic preferences of European and Caucasian Muscovites differ markedly. The European one inhabits coniferous, less often mixed forests, preferring spruce, pine, larch and birch. The Caucasian lives mainly in deciduous forests of oak and beech. The diet includes a variety of invertebrates, conifer seeds, buds, nuts, birch, aspen, and maple sap. When searching for food, the bird is very mobile, searches the ends of thin branches with acrobatic dexterity, can easily climb vertical trunks, and sometimes feeds on the ground. Frequently visits feeders. It stores food for the winter from June to December, mainly seeds of conifers, less often invertebrates. During non-breeding times, it keeps in flocks, willingly joins mixed flocks of other bird species, and most often teams up with