Black-headed Chickadee (lat. Poecile palustris), less commonly also called marsh tit, is a small bird of the tit family. In size, the bird is inferior even to the tree sparrow; its body length is about 11-14 centimeters and weighs about 12-15 grams.
The chickadee has a rather dull plumage: the upper body is grayish-brown, the underparts are whitish. The head is black with white sides, which gives the bird its name. The ears are covered with dark spots. The tail and wings are dark with white edges.
The chickadee's beak is short, sharp and straight, its eyes are small, black, with a bright look. The bird can easily be confused with a young great tit, especially in dim lighting.
Poecile palustris – extremely active and curious, often stays in groups. The bird's main diet consists of insects, spiders, seeds and berries. It prefers coniferous and mixed forests as its habitat, but can also live in deciduous forests. The chickadee is easy to find in city parks and gardens.
The Black-headed Chickadee is found throughout Belarus, widespread in Europe and Asia, from Spain and Great Britain in the west to Japan in the east. The population is stable throughout most of its range, but some regions have experienced population declines due to deforestation and other changes in natural habitat.
