Bird 🐦
🐦
Periparus ater
| Size | 11.5 cm The smallest common tit — about the size of a wren |
|---|---|
| Weight | 8–10 g Lighter than a 10p coin |
| Lifespan | 2 years |
| Rarity | Common |
| M vs F | Sexes look identical — both have black cap, white cheek patches and a distinctive white patch on the nape |
| Habitat | Coniferous and mixed woodland, gardens with conifers, parks |
| Best time | Year-round; visits feeders most frequently in winter |
| Conservation | UK: Green LC |
Did you know?
Coal Tits are serial hoarders — they spend much of the day taking food from feeders and hiding it in bark crevices and among conifer needles, creating hundreds of tiny caches every day
Coal Tits are serial hoarders — they spend much of the day taking food from feeders and hiding it in bark crevices and among conifer needles, creating hundreds of tiny caches every day
More for experts
Studies show they can remember the locations of hundreds of individual food caches simultaneously — relying on spatial memory rather than random searching to retrieve them
Often confused with
Great Tit (yellow breast, no white nape patch), Marsh Tit (brown cap, no white nape or cheek patches)
Great Tit (yellow breast, no white nape patch), Marsh Tit (brown cap, no white nape or cheek patches)