Great Tit Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesGreat Tit
Adult (Great)
A small songbird with a white cheek; black cap, throat, and collar; single white wingbar; and small, black bill. Birds across Europe and parts of Asia are yellowish below, with a greenish back and blue-gray wings and tail.
© Steven McGrath / Macaulay LibraryEngland, March 10, 2019Adult (Great)
Feeds on insects, seeds, and berries.
© Knut Hansen / Macaulay LibraryOslo, June 05, 2009Adult (Great)
A small songbird with white cheeks, a black cap and throat, and, in Europe, bright yellow underparts divided by a black central line. Upperparts are greenish, with blue-gray wings and tail. Male is brighter yellow than female, with a wider central line and a black patch on the belly.
© Pierandrea Brichetti / Macaulay LibraryLombardia, May 09, 2016Not all videos have sound
Juvenile (Great)
Juvenile has light yellowish cheeks, a dull blackish cap, and paler underparts than adult.
© David Ongley / Macaulay LibraryEngland, June 27, 2016Adult (Turkestan)
“Turkestan” Great Tit of Central Asia has silver-gray upperparts and is whitish below.
© James Kennerley / Macaulay LibraryToshkent, May 04, 2018Adult (Great)
Female is paler yellow than male, with a thinner black central line below.
© Greg Baker / Macaulay LibraryEngland, December 11, 2017Not all videos have sound
Adult (Turkestan)
“Turkestan” Great Tit has silver-gray upperparts and wings; long tail is darker gray with white in the outer tail feathers.
© Andy Zhang / Macaulay LibraryXinjiang, May 16, 2020Adult (Great)
Great Tit populations in Asia have paler yellow underparts than the bright yellow birds in Europe.
© Malihe Rajabi / Macaulay LibraryTehran, November 29, 2016Adult (Great)
Probes under tree bark throughout the year in search of insect eggs and larvae.
© Greg Baker / Macaulay LibraryScotland, February 09, 2019Not all videos have sound
Adult (Great)
Thick black line extends from black throat and divides yellow underparts.
© Boris Georgi / Macaulay LibraryUdmurtia, November 13, 2016Adult (Great) (with Eurasian Tree Sparrow)
The largest tit in Europe, nearly as large as Eurasian Tree Sparrow.
© Denis Ćoso / Macaulay LibraryBeograd, January 05, 2017Adult (Great)
Frequently visits bird feeders and quick to take advantage of new food sources.
© African Googre / Macaulay LibraryDnipropetrovs'ka Oblast', January 15, 2023Not all videos have sound
Similar SpeciesEurasian Blue Tit
Adult
Adult Eurasian Blue Tit is smaller than Great Tit, with a blue crown, broad white line above the eye, and thin black line through the eye. Eurasian Blue Tit’s wings and tail are a rich blue.
© Santiago Caballero Carrera / Macaulay LibraryAndalucía, October 10, 2019Similar SpeciesEurasian Blue Tit
Juvenile
Juvenile Eurasian Blue Tit is smaller than Great Tit, with a grayish crown, yellowish-white line above the eye, and blackish line through the eye. Juvenile Eurasian Blue Tit lacks a black patch on the throat.
© Santiago Caballero Carrera / Macaulay LibraryAndalucía, June 21, 2022Similar SpeciesGreen-backed Tit
Adult
Green-backed Tit has two white wingbars, brighter green upperparts, and brighter yellow underparts than Great Tits found in East Asia.
© Ramesh Shenai / Macaulay LibraryUttarakhand, April 11, 2018Similar SpeciesCinereous Tit
Adult
Cinereous Tit has previously been treated as part of Great Tit, but is now recognized as a distinct species. Cinereous Tit is very similar to “Turkestan” Great Tit, but they appear to have little or no range overlap.
© Sharif Uddin / Macaulay LibraryUttarakhand, March 24, 2023Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
Compare with Similar Species
Click on an image to compare
Species in This Family
Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice(Order: Passeriformes, Family: Paridae)
Don't miss a thing! Join our email list
The Cornell Lab will send you updates about birds,
birding, and opportunities to help bird conservation.