They are common throughout Connemara. In Ireland there are an estimated 1 million breeding pairs. They are common throughout Connemara. In Ireland there are an estimated 1 million breeding pairs. The blue tit is the only tit with bright blue in its plumage. It has a crown is cobalt-blue, surrounded by white and a black eye stripe. Its cheeks are white and the under parts are sulphur yellow. Blue tits prefer broad leafed woodland (especially oaks), hedgerows and gardens. They are often very tame and are regular users of bird tables. Blue tits breed less successfully in urban environments probably due to the poor food value provided by bird tables and the lack of high calorie insects. Irish blue tits are sedentary not moving very far from their birth areas. They will, however, join roaming flocks of tits in the autumn. The small size of the blue tit makes it vulnerable to prey by larger birds such as Jays who catch fledglings when leaving the nest. The most important predator is probably the sparrow hawk. Nests may also be robbed by mammals such as weasels and red squirrels and grey squirrels. The Blue Tit has an average life expectancy of 1.5 to 3 years. The oldest recorded ringed blue tit was 11 years 7 months.
