Meisen unterscheiden Cheatsheet

Images and brief info about calls. A total of 5 species is included.

Two notes Stereotype melodic Simple rhythmic

Name/Image	Call mnemonic/description	Description
Two notes
*Great tit / Kohlmeise (Parus major)* Junge Kohlmeise, Bahnhofstrasse 53, Fehraltorf. 2024-06-13 13:53:49 Fehraltorf Profile	Chuck-a-chuck-a-chuck, sometimes preceded by higher 'wheat!' ♫ Illustrates higher 'wheat' before the 'chuck-a-chuck' Source: XENOCANTO XC586723 great tit call wheat chuck-a-chuck.mp3 (call)	Calls: Generally more full-bodied and resonant calls than blue tit, and not so high-pitched. Characteristic Chaffinch-like "tink tink tink" often uttered by male. [Link]
*Coal tit / Tannenmeise (Periparus ater)* Tannenmeise auf dem Weg zu Stazersee, St Moritz. 2023-02-05 15:51:20 Engadin Profile	Typical coal tit calls do a slide between two notes high-low alarm call but simple song-like calls too ♫ 2020-11-08 16:02:44 Source: BirdNet 20201108_160244 birdnet 1075 chirpy call, coal tit in background - Great spotted woodpecker - Fehraltorf.mp3 Fehraltorf (call)	Calls: Call: short soft and clear "piu", first rapidly rising and then falling in pitch. [Link]
Stereotype melodic
*European crested tit / Haubenmeise (Lophophanes cristatus)* Haubenmeise am Stazersee bei St Mortiz hebt ab. 2023-02-05 15:48:04 Engadin Profile	5 oder mehr schnelle, aufsteigende Noten. Erinnert mich an die Blaumeise. ♫ Source: XENOCANTO XC926922 - European Crested Tit - Lophophanes cristatus - 1x4-10 call recorded in Sweden.mp3 (call)	Calls: Call a characteristic vibrating rolling trill "Trrrrurrrurrrit", with last syllable emphasized and ending with ascending pitch. Often preceded by a couple of introductory "tzi tzi". [Link] Similar to: Eurasian blue tit (Birdweather meint mal Haubenmeise wenn es gerade eine Blaumeise gehört hat)♫ Source: XENOCANTO XC574294 blaumeise call.mp3 (call)
Simple rhythmic
*Eurasian blue tit / Blaumeise (Cyanistes caeruleus)* Junge Blaumeise mit gelbem Gesicht, fehlender Kinnstreifen, graue Kopftonsur. 2021-07-19 08:33:44 Fehraltorf Profile	Low-high-high, with lightly raspy start, rather high. ♫ Source: XENOCANTO XC574294 blaumeise call.mp3 (call)	Personal notes: In How to be a Bad Birdwatcher, Simon Barnes nicely explains hierarchies in feeding groups and how niches prevent blue tits from being starved by the larger, more dominant great tits. Normally they forage differently, he says, and at feeders it's simply clear to both that the great tit goes first. However in May 2021, we watched a blue tit repeatedly chase off a great tit that landed at the feeder where he was already enjoying some sunflower seeds! There are always exceptions to the rules! Calls: Scolding alarm call: "tee-tee-tee-chirruwitt" similar to Great Tit. [Link]
*Long-tailed tit / Schwanzmeise (Aegithalos caudatus)* Herzige Schwanzmeise. 2025-01-10 14:59:26 Fehraltorf Profile	Die fast ständig geäusserten, hohen Rufe verraten die kleinen, rastlosen Turner im Gezweig meist schon, bevor sie zu sehen sind. [Link] ♫ Source: XENOCANTO XC517804 Long-tailed tit flight call.mp3 (flight call)	Calls: Call: quite short, chirping, twittering "tzzirrret tzirrrret". Often starting at high pitch and rapidly falling, or just flat. Also a thin, slightly falling "zi zi ziii". [Link]