Tits · Perching birds
Coal Tit
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Periparus ater
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Voice
Song
Call
Call
How to recognize it
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Body length 10–11.5 cm; compact build
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Adults: black head, pale cheeks and a white nape spot
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Two pale wingbars; greyish-white underparts
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Short repeated call, "tsee-tsee"
About the species
A black cap and throat frame the Coal Tit’s pale cheeks, while a clean white patch at the nape shows just behind its head. Its back is blue-grey, and the underside is off-white with warmer brown tones along the flanks. Pale tips on the wing feathers form two narrow bars, visible as it shifts among branches.
It moves restlessly through branches, often perching on a trunk and hopping along it in short steps. Flockmates keep in touch with quick “dee” or “see-see” calls; its song is a rapid, high “if-he, if-he, if-he.” It also tucks seeds into bark crevices and other hidden spots, building stores for later.
Conifer forests are its usual home, though it also uses mixed woods and visits garden feeders, especially in winter. It takes insects and larvae during the breeding season, then relies more on conifer seeds in autumn and winter. Most stay in the same region year-round, with local shifts in severe weather; Siberian populations migrate more regularly.
Where to find
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In winter, look for a Coal Tit at feeders in gardens and parks, picking out seeds.
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In autumn and winter, watch spruce cones in coniferous forest: it hangs from them to pick out seeds.
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In spring and autumn, listen for a brief, bright trill from a treetop in coniferous forest.
