A Crested Tit a resident Schedule 1 bird species pictured in the Strathspey pine forest in mid winter. SCO 9534.
In Scotland, the crested tit is confined to Caledonian pine forest remnants and pine plantations in Easter Ross, the Beauly catchment (which includes Glen Affric), Strathspey and the Moray Firth coast. It is missing from some of the ancient pinewood remnants, including those on Deeside and at Rannoch, but the reasons for this are not clear, as suitable habitat exists there. The poor dispersal ability of the species has been suggested as one possible reason for this - the geographical isolation of the forest fragments has resulted in large gaps of treeless ground which the birds are unable to cross in sufficient numbers. The population in Scotland has increased in recent decades, as a result of the expansion of pine plantations. Following three years of study by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) between 1992-95, it was estimated at 7,000 individuals. About one third of this number were in Caledonian pine forest remnants, with the remainder occurring for the most part in plantations of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris). However, the density of birds in the native pinewoods was almost ten times that of the plantations, thereby indicating that the ancient forest provides a much more favourable habitat. In the past, before most of the Caledonian Forest was cleared, it is likely that crested tit numbers were substantially greater than those of today.
Size: 4186px × 5848px
Location: Abernethy Forest, Cairngorm National Park, Nethybridge. Strathspey. Inverness-shire. Scotland. UK.
Photo credit: © David Gowans / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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