'Smol' Bird Looks Just Like A Flying Cotton Ball And We Can't Get Enough Of It

It looks like something out of Happy Feet!

Sophia

• Published in Animal Stories
• February 28, 2022

When people say that something looks like a cotton ball, the general assumption would be to visualize it as a cute and fluffy thing that looks adorable enough that we can never get enough of it. Well, that is exactly what we feel with this particular bird living on a Japanese island, which truly looks like a cotton ball at a first glance.

Long-tailed tits can be easily identified at a distance because of their pudgy and round white bodies, and a long "lollipop" tail, hence their name. Don't be fooled by its ball-ish appearance though, because when you look at it from the side, you would see that their tail is actually much bigger than their body!

They are noisy birds, and you can usually notice them in small loud flocks of about 20 excited birds. They rove through the hedgerows and woods, but can also be seen in commons and heaths that have suitable bushes.

At afar, you would see tumbling balls of birds that bounce and see-saw from one garden to another, especially during winter. You would also hear their high-pitched "si-si-si-si-si" calls that signal their arrival.

Adult long-haired tits can be identified with their soft pink plumage on their chest area, while young birds have a black bandit mask on their faces.

If you are in need of something cute and squishy to see today, just stare at this adorable photo of a Long-Tailed Tit!

You can't deny how adorable it is, and it even looks smol enough to be put into your pocket and just keep you company throughout your day!

Just a tiny ball of fluff vibing in nature.

They are widespread species, found in almost the whole of northern Europe and Asia, and even in the Mediterranean. It likes to reside in woodlands that have a reputation for having large portions of shrubbery and heathland.

They can also be commonly found in gardens and parks, so make sure to check the nearby sycamore, ash, and oak trees by there!

Their tails only appear really long because of their stocky bodies. An adult long-haired tit can grow tp about 5 to 6 inches long, including the tail, which counts for at least half of the said length.

While they generally thrive well in winters, harsher conditions will lead them to huddle or flock together to maintain warmth.

“The tiny Long-tailed tit is so small that it is very vulnerable to cold weather. In harsh periods, as many as 90 per cent may die.” says Michael McCarthy from Independent.

They are already small in size, but even smaller birds are prone to losing more body heat compared to the larger ones, so they are actually at risk of dying when a partner is not found. Therefore, they flock together in specific groups: brothers, sisters, uncles, and aunts.

They feed on eggs and larvae of butterflies and moths, however, they have grown to have an increasing interest to peanuts because of the growing popularity of feeding areas for birds.

They look so cute, right? It's a fortunate thing that they are still in the "Least Concern" category as of now, and it looks like their population number won't be in trouble any time soon.

Comment down your thoughts, or share this little ball of fluff for all your family and friends to see!

Sophia