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The Birds Of South Gloucestershire          Bearded Tit - panurus biarmicus

 

Bearded Tit is also known as Bearded Reedling since it's a member of the 'parrotbill' family rather than a true tit in the family 'paridae'. Although the 'parrotbills' and their relatives the Old World babblers are otherwise confined to warm climates, the Bearded Tit is a species of temperate Europe and Asia. It is resident and most birds don't migrate other than eruptive or cold weather movements. It is vulnerable to hard winters which may greatly reduce the population at such times. Some historical names for Bearded Tit include; Bearded Pinnock, Beardmanica and Least Butcherbird.

 

There have been two possibly three Bearded Tits reported from S. Gloucestershire;

 

2011: (possibly 1)

On November 12th one possibly this species was seen briefly at Oldbury Power Station in the north-west corner of Lagoon II.

 

2008: (1)

On the 26th April a male was located at Oldbury Power Station in the main reed bed at Lagoon II at 08:30. It was present for just forty-five minutes until 09:15 when it flew high and circled for five minutes before heading off high to the north-east. (Matt Plenty, Pete Hazelwood)

 

1981: (1)

On April 5th one was trapped, ringed and released at Littleton Brick Pits, no mention was made regarding its age or sex. This occurrence constitutes the first report of this species for S. Gloucestershire. (J Humphris, J Ryman)

 

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