Blue Tits and Humans

The total breeding population of blue tits has probably declined in the last 40 years because of the loss of many woodlands. However, they are still quite common and there are over 4 million breeding pairs in the British Isles.

Blue tits in the garden are helpful as they feed their young with thousands of caterpillars during the spring and summer, so helping to keep down the numbers of plant-eating pests.

We can help blue tits by feeding them with peanuts and fat, especially during the winter. Whole peanuts should only be offered in a mesh container, enabling birds to peck off little bits of nut. If a misguided parent bird were to feed a whole nut to its baby, it may cause it to choke and die. Nesting boxes with small entrance holes may be put up in suitable places in the garden to provide extra nest sites.