# Coal Tit (*Periparus ater*) The Coal Tit is a small, cheerful bird with a black cap and white cheeks. They love to flit around trees and are often seen in gardens, searching for tasty seeds and insects. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Forests ![Coal Tit](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Coal_Tit_-_Dugalbitta%252C_Uttarakhand%252C_India_%2815143483976%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: soumyajit nandy from Kolkata, India, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Coal_Tit_-_Dugalbitta%252C_Uttarakhand%252C_India_%2815143483976%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Coal Tit is a small, neat bird with a distinctive black head featuring bold white cheek patches and a prominent white patch on its nape. Its back is grey, and its underside is buff, making it easily identifiable from other tits. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Paridae - **Genus:** Periparus ## Interesting facts - A Coal Tit will sometimes peck at tree bark, sounding like a tiny woodpecker looking for food! - Coal Tits sometimes join mixed flocks with other tit species during winter for safety and foraging! - These tiny birds can eat up to a third of their body weight in food every single day! - They often build their cozy nests hidden inside tree holes or even old mouse burrows! ## Special abilities - **Clever Food Cacher:** Coal Tit can hide food in many spots because of their excellent spatial memory, helping them find snacks later. - **Acrobatic Forager:** Coal Tit can cling upside down on branches because of their strong claws, helping them find hidden insects. - **Pine Cone Picker:** Coal Tit has a fine, pointed beak that helps them expertly extract seeds from tight pine cones. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 10-11.5 cm - **Wingspan:** 17-21 cm - **Weight:** 0.007-0.012 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-5 years - **Speed:** 35 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 7-11 - **Incubation:** 14-16 days ## Diet & Feeding Coal Tits eat mostly insects and spiders, but also enjoy seeds, nuts, and berries! - **Primary Foods:** insects, spiders, pine seeds, beech mast, berries, sunflower seeds - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Depends on:** [Norway Spruce](https://www.snappit.app/explore/norway-spruce) (*Picea abies*) — Provides seeds and sheltered nesting sites. - **Depends on:** [Scots Pine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/scots-pine) (*Pinus sylvestris*) — Relies on its seeds, especially in winter. - **Eaten by:** [Eurasian Sparrowhawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eurasian-sparrowhawk) (*Accipiter nisus*) — A common aerial predator of small woodland birds. - **Eaten by:** [Domestic Cat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/domestic-cat) (*Felis catus*) — A frequent predator in gardens and urban areas. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Arboreal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/arboreal): Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Coal Tit? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Coal Tit? 10-11.5 cm ### What is Coal Tit's wingspan? 17-21 cm ### How much does Coal Tit weigh? 0.007-0.012 kg ### How long does Coal Tit live? 2-5 years ### How fast can Coal Tit move? 35 km/h ### What does Coal Tit eat? Coal Tits eat mostly insects and spiders, but also enjoy seeds, nuts, and berries! ### Where is Coal Tit usually found? Forests ## Where to spot - [Hakusan National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hakusan-national-park) — Chubu, JP · Park - [Zao Quasi-National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/zao-quasi-national-park) — Tohoku, JP · Park ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Coal Tit: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coal-tit)