Birds of all types and sizes are fascinating and interesting creatures, but the most impressive are the little birds.

Shima enaga, a particular subspecies of bird is only found on the Japanese island, Hokkaido, it’s also called the Long-tailed Tits.

They resemble little cotton balls with wings, and they’ve been compared to cotton candy by some. Long-tailed tits, or Shima enaga in Japanese, are these unique birds.

This subspecies of birds can be found only on this Japanese island.

So, what makes these tits with lengthy tails so unique?

To start with, they are quite little, averaging just 13 to 15cm in length, half of which is the tail!

Long-tailed Tits usually have black eyebrows, but in Hokkaido, they lose their eyebrows when they turn into adulthood in order to help them blend in during long winters.

This only affects one eye, leaving them with a completely white face, giving them the appearance of little snowmen. Having a totally white face helps them blend in during the long winters on the island.

These little cotton balls fly about in groups of 20 to 30 and even do fantastic acrobatic tricks while they do so.

They usually lay 7-10 eggs at a time, which helps to maintain the population.

Females are fragile throughout the winter, but because of the large number of eggs they produce, their broods always survive. Though the long-tailed tit may be found all across the world, from Western Europe to Russia to Japan, Hokkaido’s variety is unlike any other.

With their fluffy little round bodies, it’s no wonder they’ve been transformed into adorable stuffed animals.