The Varied Tit is a small East Asian bird found in forests and wooded parks in Japan and Korea. It has a black head, pale cheeks, chestnut underparts, and blue-gray wings. It is not a regular wild bird in the United States.
Appearance
Appearance
This sparrow-sized tit is about 5.5 in (14 cm) long. It has a black crown and throat, pale cheeks, rich chestnut underparts, and blue-gray wings and tail.
Where it lives
Typical habitats
lowland forests
foothill forests
wooded parks
gardens
Range
Its native range centers on Japan and Korea, with local populations in northeastern China and the southern Kuril Islands. It is not part of the regular wild birdlife of the United States.
Seasonal presence
It is mainly a across its native range.
Behavior
Diet
It eats seeds, fruits, spiders, and insects, including caterpillars. It can hold a seed between its toes and hammer it open with its bill.
Activity
It searches branches and bark for food and extra seeds for later.
Social life
In its East Asian range, it is often seen in pairs or small groups, especially outside the nesting season.
Life cycle
Breeding season
A study of nests in Gwangneung, South Korea, recorded egg laying from early April to early June.
Nest
In South Korea, pairs nest in tree cavities or nest boxes and line them with moss, bark, hair, and feathers.
Clutch size
The Gwangneung, South Korea, study found 4–10 eggs per , most often 7–8.
Incubation
The Gwangneung, South Korea, study reported 12–14 days of and 12–17 days from hatching to .
Name and classification
About the name
Formerly called Parus varius, this bird is also known as Poecile varius.