Skip to main content

We are experiencing problems downloading large documents at present. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. Please bear with us as we resolve this situation.

Crested tit

This unmistakable bird rarely strays far from Scots pine woodlands.

Scotland’s special subspecies of crested tit is called Lophophanes cristatus scoticus. Other types of crested tit occur in Europe.

In Scots pine woodlands, look out for:

females excavating nest holes in old pine stumps
groups of fledged young from late May onwards
crested tits among mixed flocks of woodland birds in winter

Protection of crested tits

Find out how Scotland’s wild birds are protected.

Learn about birds and licensing.

Read our guidance for planners and developers on protected animals.

Last updated:20/02/2023

You can print or save this page as a pdf, here:

You may also be interested in

Scots pine almost wholly dominates many Caledonian pinewoods in the east. Pinewoods in the milder, more humid west often feature much more diverse canopies.

12 Apr, 2017

Scotland is a feeding station, a winter haven and a nesting site for birds. More than 140 sites are so important for birds they hold international designations.