It is a widespread and common resident breeder throughout Russia, Central Asia, northwest China, Manchuria, and Pakistan.

The bird is a close sitter, displaying defensive behaviors such as hissing and biting when disturbed.

Its diet primarily consists of insects, seeds, small invertebrates, bug larvae, and eggs.

Its head, tail corners, wing bars, and underparts are white, while the upperparts are blue.

In 2005, analysis of the mtDNA cytochrome b sequences of the Paridae indicated that Cyanistes was an early offshoot from the lineage of other tits, and more accurately regarded as a genus rather than a subgenus of Parus.