Skip to content

Japanese Tits Kept Their Distance From Eurasian Sparrowhawks but Defended Nests More Aggressively Against Indian Scops-Owls

Japanese tit perched on a branch
Research · Behaviour

Japanese tits (Parus minor) changed how they defended their nests depending on which raptor appeared nearby. At 24 nests in northeastern China, the birds mostly kept their distance from Eurasian sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) models but responded more aggressively to Indian scops-owl (Otus bakkamoena) models. The study was published on 24 July 2026 in Scientific Reports.

The field experiment took place in the Zuojia Nature Reserve in Jilin Province. During the nestling period, researchers presented each nest with taxidermy models of a sparrowhawk, an Indian scops-owl and an oriental turtle dove (Streptopelia orientalis), which served as a harmless control. For each presentation, they recorded the strongest nest-defence response shown by the parents.

The owl triggered stronger active nest defence

The analysis supported stronger nest defence toward the owl than toward either the sparrowhawk or the dove. It did not support a clear difference in the overall defence score between the sparrowhawk and the harmless dove. The behaviour itself was nevertheless different: the tits usually stayed at a distance and watched the sparrowhawk, while the owl more often triggered active vigilance, threat displays and stronger nest defence.

The two predators pose different risks to parents and young

The authors interpret this contrast as a response to different risks for parents and offspring. Sparrowhawks mainly prey on birds, including adults. Approaching them closely can therefore be risky for the parent tits. Indian scops-owls pose less risk to adult tits but can enter cavity nests and threaten eggs and nestlings. The result therefore suggests that Japanese tits adjust their nest defence to the balance between risk to themselves and risk to their young.

Sources and image credit

  1. Zhang, Y., Shen, C., Qiu, T., Jin, J., Liu, D., & E, M. (2026). Japanese tits discriminate between Eurasian sparrowhawks Accipiter nisus and Indian scops owls Otus bakkamoena. Scientific Reports.Primary open-access research article published 24 July 2026. At 24 Japanese tit nests in the Zuojia Nature Reserve, researchers presented taxidermy models of Eurasian sparrowhawk, Indian scops owl and Oriental turtle dove as a harmless control. Defence scores were higher toward owls than toward both sparrowhawks and doves; sparrowhawk and dove scores did not differ significantly.

Image: Laitche / Wikimedia Commons — wild Japanese tit (Parus minor) in Suita, Osaka, Japan, photographed 3 December 2016. Representative image of the study species; not a bird from the Zuojia experiment. · CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ · Source

About this content: This story was produced with AI assistance within an editorial workflow developed by Wildlife Vagabond. Editorial responsibility remains with Wildlife Vagabond.How AI is used

Behaviour

SPECIES IN THIS STORY

Species in this story

Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus Explore species Indian Scops-Owl Otus bakkamoena Explore species

Independent research and conservation news archive

Did you find this information useful?

Wildlife Vagabond is independently built and maintained. Voluntary support helps cover source verification, hosting and continued work on research and conservation news.

Support Wildlife Vagabond

The news archive will remain freely available.