A member of the Paridae family, the Great Tit is a small, vocal bird native to Europe and Asia. Most are bright-colored, though their hues can vary from faint shades of grey and blue to more sharp yellows and greens. Nearly all varieties of Great Tit, however, have a black head and a black stripe on the chest.BBC Animals: Great Tit

In the European and Asian countries where Great Tits are prevalent, ornithologists have been largely successful in studying the habits and seasonal tendencies of the species. The journal Science published a report from Oxford researchers in March 2008 indicating that Great Tits had been successful in pushing back their mating cycles in order to adapt to warming climates. Oxford researchers have been watching the Great Tit since 1947, and in 1961 began taking detailed notes in what a research leader called "the longest running population study of wild animals anywhere in the world where animals are marked."BBC News: Great Tits cope well with warming