The European crested tit (Lophophanes cristatus) is a common species in Helsinki’s large recreational forests and nature reserves, found in the forests of Vuosaari, Vartiosaari and Östersundom. Despite being a relatively tame bird and one of the most common woodland bird species in Finland, it tends to avoid population centres and human activity.
The European crested tit nests in both rocky pine-dominated forests and spruce-dominated old forests, as long as they contain decaying small trees as well as dead birches and alders. It excavates a nest hole in a rotting tree trunk, similarly to woodpeckers.

The European crested tit is a true resident bird, never straying far from its nesting areas, even when it wanders in the autumn. It tends to avoid crossing large bodies of water.

The European crested tit is easy to distinguish by its wild, droning call: tylilitit, tii-tii tylilit.