Penduline Tit

Penduline tit

Populations are widely scattered and often in small areas where its essential habitat needs are met. These are largely on deltas or by estuaries, lakes, rivers, canals, streams, or swamps, of fresh or brackish water, so Dalyan is the perfect spot .Nests usually suspended from trees, the oval shaped nest with ‘tube’ entrance is nearly always over water from outer most branch of tree, sometimes in reedbeds slung between 2–3 stems.

The Penduline tit is a small tit, slightly smaller than a blue tit and has a finely pointed bill. It has a chestnut mantle and wing coverts, blackish wings and tail feathers fringed with white. The Penduline tit has a distinctive head pattern. In Turkey adult has black mask contrasting with pale grey crown and nape and white throat (female duller with smaller mask) Juvenile lacks a mask. Jiz and behaviour resemble a tit, being just as lively and restless but rather less excitable and inquisitive. As expected it is very tit like in behaviour clinging to or perching on thin outer most branches, often upside down .

The Penduline tit is a summer visitor to Dalyan, generally arriving in March and departing by the end of September.

Nests are often located on the eastern river bank heading towards the the lake shortly after walking access to the banks ceases and it can be relatively undisturbed and can be seen from boats heading towards the lake. The other nesting site is the reed beds accessed from the Golbashi restaurant Indeed taking the ‘pedello’ is probably your best bet at this site.

Clip by Maria J Bogaerts