Some notes on the Penduline tit Remiz pendulinus and its occurrence in Malta

Abstract

The Penduline Tit Remiz pendulinusis a mainly resident species but with some dispersive, irruptive and cold weather movements. This small tit-like bird breeds in marshy habitats in the palaearctic region. Its breeding range falls mainly between 40 and 50 N. extending from western Europe to China. There has been a gradual westward spread in Europe and in recent years a marked expansion of its range occurred in northern, central and western Europe. This expansion also took place at its southwestern limits in Mediterranean France and Spain and the numbers of wintering birds recently recorded southward as far as Morocco have increased. All this is also reflected in an increase of winter records in Malta as will be shown later. Thomsen and Jacobsen 0979) give only one record (10-11 January 1975) for Tunisia. Since then T. Gaultier (in. litt.) informed the present writers that he recorded one in January 1989 and 2 in March 1990 in two different localities in Tunisia. Iapichino & Massa (1989) estimate a breeding population of less than 100 pairs in Sicily and state that there is no regular movement although family parties wander far from breeding areas from July onwards.