Tits · Perching birds
Coal Tit
Copied!
Periparus ater
Copied!
Voice
Song
Call
Call
How to recognize it
-
Small, compact tit with a short tail
-
Black head, white cheeks, and a white nape spot
-
Two pale wingbars visible on folded wing
-
Call: short sharp “dee” or repeated “see-see”
About the species
The Coal Tit is a small, lively tit with a compact body and a short tail. It is easiest to remember by the black cap, pale cheeks, and the small white patch at the back of the head.
It moves quickly and restlessly, often working through tree crowns and hanging upside down from twigs. Its voice is thin and bright, and in the breeding season the male often sings from a high perch.
It is most closely tied to conifer woods, especially spruce forests, but in winter it readily comes to gardens, parks, and feeders. In summer it feeds on insects and larvae, then switches to seeds from conifers, often taking them straight from the cones.
Where to find
-
In old conifer stands inside city parks — along trunks and high in the canopy, where Coal Tit darts through branches with a thin “tsee-tsee” call.
-
At winter feeders near spruces and quiet paths — comes for sunflower seeds and often hangs upside down to feed.
-
By ponds or canal edges with firs or pines nearby — easiest to notice in the morning when a small flock chatters from the treetops.
-
On the edges of large parks with stumps and fallen logs — look for short hops on the ground while it picks seeds from cones and bark crevices.
