The characteristic blue head of the Eurasian blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) stands out at the bird feeder, setting the bird apart from the others. True to its name, the Eurasian blue tit has dashes of blue all around its plumage, but the top of its head is especially bright.
The Eurasian blue tit prefers deciduous forests, but thrives in many kinds of environments, including cities, gardens and rural areas. The Eurasian blue tit needs a hole to nest in. Holes made by woodpeckers are especially well-suited to it, and are one of the most common nesting places of the species in Finland. In addition to holes made by woodpeckers, they also like birdhouses with small enough door holes and sometimes they even make do with holes left in human structures such as light poles.
In recent year, the Eurasian blue tit has grown increasingly more common in Finland. The species used to only appear in Southern Finland, but today they nest even in the northernmost reaches of Lapland. Eurasian blue tits have benefited from the growing popularity of winter-time bird feeding, enthusiastic installation of bird-houses and the warming climate.
In Vasikkasaari, you can see Eurasian blue tits slipping into the holes in the brick walls of the Commandant’s House.