Parus cristatus -- Linnaeus, 1758 ANIMALIA -- CHORDATA -- AVES -- PASSERIFORMES -- PARIDAE Common names: Crested ; European Red List Assessment European Red List Status LC -- Least Concern, (IUCN version 3.1) Assessment Information Year published: 2015 Date assessed: 2015-03-31 Assessor(s): BirdLife International Reviewer(s): Symes, A. Compiler(s): Ashpole, J., Burfield, I., Ieronymidou, C., Pople, R., Wheatley, H. & Wright, L. Assessment Rationale European regional assessment: Least Concern (LC) EU27 regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)

At both European and EU27 scales this species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence 10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). Despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing, the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (30% decline over ten years or three generations).

For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern within both Europe and the EU27. Occurrence Countries/Territories of Occurrence Native: Albania; Andorra; Austria; Azerbaijan; Belarus; Belgium; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Croatia; Czech Republic; Denmark; Estonia; Finland; France; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Italy; Latvia; Liechtenstein; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Montenegro; Netherlands; Norway; Poland; Portugal; Romania; Russian Federation; Serbia; Slovakia; Slovenia; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; Ukraine; United Kingdom Vagrant: Gibraltar (to UK) Population The European population is estimated at 5,450,000-9,810,000 pairs, which equates to 10,900,000-19,600,000 mature individuals. The population in the EU27 is estimated at 3,400,000-6,480,000 pairs, which equates to 6,790,000-13,000,000 mature individuals. For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF. Trend In Europe and the EU27 the population size is estimated to be decreasing by less than 25% in 12 years (three generations). For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF. Habitats and Ecology This species breeds predominately in coniferous woods. In Fennoscandia and western and central Europe it is found in forests of Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) or Norway Spruce (Picea abies). In southern Europe it uses mixed- montane forests (Hagemeijer and Blair 1997). It breeds from March to June and is monogamous, forming a lifelong pair bond. The nest is a cup of moss, lichens, hair, wool, feathers and gossamer, in a hole in a dead or decaying tree trunk, branch or stump, occasionally in a living tree. Occasionally uses a hole in a fence post or in the ground and nestboxes are also regularly used. It usually lays five to eleven eggs. It feeds mainly on small invertebrates and their larvae and outside the breeding season it will also consume seeds and some fruits. The species is mostly resident but is nomadic in the winter (Gosler and Clement 2007). Habitats & Altitude Habitat (level 1 - level 2) Importance Occurrence Artificial/Terrestrial - Rural Gardens suitable resident Forest - Boreal suitable resident Forest - Temperate major resident Shrubland - Mediterranean-type Shrubby Vegetation suitable resident Shrubland - Temperate suitable resident Altitude max. 2300 m Occasional altitudinal limits Threats Populations of this species fluctuate in response to severe winter weather. The modernization of forestry practices has resulted in declines in Sweden and Czech Republic. In Scotland it suffered during 18th century from the destruction of its native Caledonian pine forest (Gosler and Clement 2007). In central Europe, atmospheric pollution has also lead to declines in this species (Hagemeijer and Blair 1997). Threats & Impacts Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses Agriculture & Agro-industry Timing Scope Severity Impact aquaculture plantations Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Slow, Significant Medium Impact Declines Stresses Ecosystem conversion; Ecosystem degradation Biological resource Logging & wood Timing Scope Severity Impact use harvesting Past, Likely to Minority (<50%) Rapid Declines Past Impact (unintentional Return effects: (large scale) [harvest]) Stresses Ecosystem conversion Climate change & Temperature Timing Scope Severity Impact severe weather extremes Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Causing/Could Medium Impact cause fluctuations Stresses Species mortality Pollution Acid rain Timing Scope Severity Impact Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Low Impact Declines Stresses Indirect ecosystem effects Conservation Conservation Actions Underway Bern Convention Appendix II. There are currently no known conservation measures for this species.

Conservation Actions Proposed The species would benefit from a reduction in industrial permissions. Management practices for forestry should be encouraged to leave dead or dying trees. In addition, the erection of nest boxes in plantations may be beneficial to this species (Maı́cas and Haeger 2004). Bibliography Gosler, A. and Clement, P. 2007. ( cristatus). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. and de Juana, E. (eds.) 2014. Handbook of the of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from http://www.hbw.com/node/59878 on 17 March 2015). Hagemeijer, W.J.M. and Blair, M.J. 1997. The EBCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds: Their Distribution and Abundance. T & A D Poyser, London. Maı́cas, R. and Haeger, J.F. 2004. Pine plantations as a breeding habitat for a hole-nesting species crested tit (Parus cristatus) in southern Spain. Forest Ecology and Management, 195(1): 267-278. Map (see overleaf)