BOTH C (1999) Old age in Great Tits Parus major. LIMOSA 72 (4): 158-161.

Age effects are difficult to study, and are therefore often anecdotical. Here such an anecdote is given for a male Great Tit, who survived to nine years of age. In his ninth calenderyear he first lost his female to a neighbour, and was then expelled from his territory by a younger male. At the time other pairs started egg-laying, the male reestablished a territory about 300 meters from his former territory, and bred successfully with a new female. At catching he appeared to miss two toenails, and the white cheeks expanded upwards to above the eye. During the next year he was seen again trying, but failing, to establish a territory. It is suggested that these effects are a result of his old age. Data from a nearby population show that nine years is an exceptional age for Great Tits (figure la), and that survival is declining with age (figure 1b). The latter might be due to wear and tear, as was seen for the nine year old Great Tit.

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