(Published in Estonian 05.07.2017)

In the great tit webcam nest the first chicks hatched on June 25th. By today [July 5th] the chicks have grown impressively: both adults feed them diligently during the whole daylight period. But whom do the parents bring as food for the nestlings?

Marko Mägi, researcher at the Department of bird ecology of the University of Tartu:

„According to studies of bird ecology at the University of Tartu great tits both in deciduous and conifer forests feed their chicks mainly with butterfly and moth larva. These make up more than 50% of the diet of the nestlings. In addition great tits feed their young with butterfly and moth imagos, beetles, Diptera flies, ants and spiders.

Caterpillars are the main food of great tit nestlings / Photo: Marko Mägi

During the second clutch period the part of butterflies and moths besides their caterpillars in the basic food increases (particularly in deciduous forests) because by that time many caterpillars have developed into butterflies and moths. Great tits as well as other tit species mainly feed on what is available in the tree crowns, and so in the food brought to the young earthworms and other invertebrates that only live on the ground are not present.“

The live view from the great tit webcam nest is organised by the Estonian Ornithological Society in cooperation with Looduskalender, transmission is provided by EENet and Tele2, the forum is organised by Looduskalender.

News from the nest are forwarded by bird news page Linnuvaatleja.

Margus Ots
info/at/linnuvaatleja.ee