bottle-tomtit

A name for the Long-tailed Tit. Like bumbarrel, the name is a reference to the nest, which is the shape of a decanter-like spherical bottles commonly used in England in the 17th century. These were squat and spherical and perhaps help date the name. Many Long-tailed Tit names, including bumbarrel and bottle-tit refer to brewing, and the production and consumption of alcoholic beverage and especially beer. This is more interesting when we note that many bird names with nest and egg references (note the egg-marking names of buntings) were most likely coined by children who collected eggs. The nest is an enclosed ball of moss hair and lichen held together with spider's web.