THE CUTE BIRDS OF PREY IN YOUR GARDEN
Blue tits swoop on 400 types of insects, study reveals
WATCHING them snack on the seeds and nuts left by bird lovers, you might think such treats are all blue tits need to survive.
But the much-loved garden bird actually likes to hunt when humans are not around, research reveals.
Their favourite meals can include wasps, spiders, flies and beetles, scientists at Edinburgh University have found – and the menu varies depending on what insects are available at different times of year.
Last night, bird lovers said the findings would ‘revolutionise’ their knowledge of avian diets and boost efforts to preserve species.
In spring, for example, blue tits particularly enjoy winter moth caterpillars. And the scientists believe the appearance of the bugs could be the cue to start the mating season, as the more fully grown caterpillars make up a large portion of their chicks’ diet.
Experts are now calling on Scots not to rid gardens of insects.
A spokesman for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) said: ‘To get your garden ready for spring and nesting birds, including blue tits, we recommend planting native trees such as birch, rowan and oak and to avoid using pesticides – these kill insects, which are an important food for chicks.’
Using state-of-the-art genetic testing, the researchers examined
DNA from nearly 800 faecal samples from blue tits’ nest boxes across 39 woodlands in Scotland.
They found adult blue tits can devour more than 400 different types of prey before the springtime breeding season – when most trees are bare and food appears scarce.
The resourceful birds also snacked on birch and sycamore buds.
As the months roll on, the birds become ever more ingenius, and their diet gets richer.
Dr Malcolm Burgess, of the RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, said: ‘Knowledge of diet, even for common species like the blue tit, has barely advanced for decades.
‘New genetic techniques, like we used in this study, will revolutionise our knowledge of bird diet, allowing us to fully understand what birds eat over the year and help us ensure these prey remain available.’
Dr Albert Phillimore, of Edinburgh’s Institute of Evolutionary Biology, said: ‘It’s been fascinating to see how modern genetic technology can provide us with rich insights into the diet of these birds and to see how this changes depending on where they are and the time of year.’
‘Will revolutionise our knowledge of bird diet’