Page 345 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

TITS AND ALLIES
Order Passeriformes Family Paridae Species Parus ater
Coal Tit white nape black
head
patch
greyish back
dark wings with
two white bars
big
black
bib
ADULT white
cheeks
white
IN FLIGHT nape
bright buff
yellower underside
cheeks
JUVENILE

ne of Europe’s smallest birds, the Coal Tit is
Oeverywhere associated with conifers, even isolated
pines within a wood of deciduous trees. It is also a garden ADULT
bird in many places. In autumn and winter, it regularly joins other
tits in large, shapeless, roaming flocks that wander through woods
and gardens in search of food.Woods often seem birdless until such
a flock comes by, when suddenly there is too much to see at once. FLIGHT: weak, flitting, with whirring wingbeats,
Coal Tits typically exploit their minute weight by searching the with sudden “stop” on perch.
thinnest twigs. TINY BUT FEARLESS
VOICE Call high, sweet, sad tseu or tsoooo, thin Coal Tits take very little notice of
tseee, bright psueet; song bright, quick, repetitive, people and may forage through
high wi-choo wi-choo wi-choo or sweetu sweetu sweetu. shrubberies almost within arm’s
NESTING Hair-lined small cup of moss and leaves length if one keeps still and quiet.
in hole in stump, tree, wall, or ground, or in small-
holed nest box; 7–11 eggs; 1 brood;April–June.
FEEDING Finds tiny insects, spiders, and their eggs
in foliage; eats many seeds and nuts; visits feeders
frequently, often dashing off with food to eat
nearby; hides much food in tufts of pine needles.
REMARK Subspecies P. a. ledouci (N Africa) has
yellow cheeks and underside.
SIMILAR SPECIES
OCCURRENCE
strong green no white no white Breeds through all of Europe
and yellow nape patch
nape patch except Iceland and extreme
much N Scandinavia. Lives all year round
bigger no wingbar in mixed but mainly coniferous
woodland, wooded parks, and
no wingbar
gardens close to conifer woods.
GREAT TIT 32; MARSH TIT WILLOW TIT Seen in the UK
see p.342 see p.347 see p.346 J F M A M JJ A S O N D
Length 11.5cm (4 1 ⁄2in) Wingspan 17–21cm (6 1 ⁄2 –8 1 ⁄2in) Weight 8–10g ( 5 ⁄16 – 3 ⁄8oz)
Social Loose flocks Lifespan 2–3 years Status Secure
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