Penduline Tit
Scientific Name: Remiz pendulinusMaltese Name: Pendulin
Family: Penduline Tits (Remizidae)
Occurence: Very Scarce
Breeds in Malta: No
Overview:
Unreleated to the "typical" tits, the Penduline Tit is a marsh passerine bird that likes a mixture of reeds, poplars and willows. It is easily overlooked as its colouration helps it to blend with the reed-beds perfectly, but its characteristic call, a long whistle (similar to that of the Reed Bunting) draws attention to it.
Adult males have a black mask from the forehead across the cheeks. Their head is pale grey.
The Penduline Tit's nest is extremely distinctive, made of reed-mace in the shape of a deep pouch with an entrance spout near the top. It is normally built hanging from the end of a thin twig above the reed-bed.
Status:
Very Scarce Bird. Used to be a very rare bird with only a few records in the 70s and 80s. Lately it started to come in small influxes from time to time, with a good number of birds recorded mainly in winter from various locations. Latest records of Penduline Tit were in 2007-2008 various birds were seen at Simar Nature Reserve, Ghadira Nature Reserve, Salina Saltpans and Rabat. One bird with a Croatian ring was controlled at Simar Nature Reserve by the reserve's warden. In 2010 a single bird was recorded at Simar Nature Reserve in December.
When to See:
Mostly seen in Winter/late Autumn.
Where to See:
It prefers pools and ditches with reedbeds. Simar, Salina and Ghadira are the best places to see Penduline Tit in Malta.
Photographs:
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Male Penduline Tit, 25th December 2010, Simar Nature Reserve |
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Adult Male Penduline Tit, 6th January 2008, Simar Nature Reserve |
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| Adult Male Penduline Tit, 6th January 2008, Simar Nature Reserve | Adult Male & Adult Female Penduline Tit, 31st October 2007, Simar Nature Reserve |
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Male Penduline Tit, 25th December 2010, Simar Nature Reserve |
Listen to Penduline Tit:
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