The behaviour was first noticed some 75 years ago and rapidly spread across the whole of Britain. It reached its peak during the 1950s and 60s; there were even reports of flocks following milk floats ready to pounce on the bottles as soon as they were delivered. But the
RSPB's 'wildlife enquiry service' has had only one call about this behaviour in the last 10 years and other experts confirm that the habit appears to have died out.
Changes in our milk consumption habits are to blame. We now tend use door-step deliveries less and modern containers are more secure. Blue tits are typically short-lived birds and it does not take for this sort of cultural behaviour to be forgotten.
