Crested Tits

Cresties are tiny, cheeky and rare little birds that live in small numbers in this part of Scotland and nowhere else in the UK. They require old dead trees to burrow into to breed, but very few such trees exist these days, so we build nest boxes stuffed with dead wood for them to excavate.

For five years we have been building and distributing these boxes, each year refining our methods to try and achieve better results.

In 2003 we raised two families and we were very pleased because it was our first attempt. In 2004 we only managed one family, which was rather disappointing.

However, 2005 was our best year so far with four pairs hatching young. Sadly, one of the broods all died in the nest, but the other three all fledged and altogether we ringed sixteen chicks - two fives and a six. As a bonus, three pairs of blue tits raised chicks in some of the spare boxes, making a total of seven families from thirteen boxes.

2006 was not so good but the weather was against the poor little cresties and only one pair managed to raise a family. Blue tits however did rather better and raised three families in the boxes. There is now clear evidence that blue tits wait for the cresties to empty the dead wood from the nest boxes and then steal them - I actually watched a crested tit screaming at a pair of blue tits that had just bullied it out of its box.

In 2007 the boxes produced two pairs of cresties (and six pairs of blue tits!) and we have high hopes for 2008.

Our work on crested tits has been recognised by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) and Allan was asked to do a presentation on the crested tit nest box project for their annual ringers and nest recorders conference. Following the presentation we have been told that our techniques are to be tried by people who are having difficulty persuading other burrowing species such as willow tits and tree creepers to use nest boxes. To help with this, the latest version of our nest box design is soon to appear on the BTO website. More recently the BBC came along to film the crested tit nest box work for their programme Nature's Calendar.

Under the terms of Allan's Schedule 1 License Heather is named as his agent and he can also use two assistants when he goes to the nests. If anyone in BoGWiG would like to come along on those visits please let Allan know. (Don't all rush!)