5 things you might not know about the coal tit

2 min read
5 things you might not know about the coal tit

Coal tits are the smallest of our garden tits, and the easiest to miss because they never stay still. I have to concentrate to see one in our garden, but they are worth the effort.

1. One nest held nearly 6,000 fleas

The record for bird fleas in a single nest belongs to a coal tit: 5,754 of them. It is not a record anyone wants, but it shows how crowded a tit's nest hole can be, with seven to eleven eggs packed in.

2. They hide food, then forget where

Coal tits dart back and forth from the feeder, taking one seed at a time and tucking it into crevices in branches to save for later. They often forget where it is, and spend a lot of time searching, while great tits will happily raid their stores.

3. Their blood changes in winter

In winter a coal tit's red blood cells contain more mitochondria, the parts of the cell that produce energy and heat. It is one of the ways something that weighs about as much as a 50p coin gets through a frosty night. When food is scarce, coal tits also gain body weight later in the morning than when food is plentiful.

4. They nest on the ground

Unlike other garden tits, a favourite coal tit nest site is a hole in a decaying stump, usually at ground level, with the nest deep inside. Others use rodent or rabbit burrows, and squirrel dreys.

5. They live almost anywhere

Coal tits live in conifer woods from the UK to the Himalayas, and are fairly common as high as 3,000 to 3,800 metres above sea level in Bhutan. In Britain they are on the BTO green list, partly because of their varied diet and knack for planning.

A note on names

There isn't much folklore about the coal tit, which is a shame for such a busy little bird. Linnaeus described it in 1758, from the Swedish population, which is why Sweden is tied to the original form of the species. If you have any coal tit stories of your own, I'd love to hear them.

What coal tits like to eat, and where

Coal tits take one seed or nut at a time and fly off, so they like a feeder with plenty of cover near it. They enjoy sunflower hearts, kibbled peanuts and suet pellets, which are in every one of our seasonal blends. Offer them in a Little Lantern seed feeder filled with our seasonal bird food, and watch for the flit in and flit out. If you are not sure which feeder suits your garden, our feeding quiz will point you in the right direction.

Want to keep track of the coal tits in your garden? Amidst the Birdsong: A Garden Birdwatcher's Journal is made for exactly that.

Want to read about more garden birds? See all the birds in this series.

While you're here

Because there's always something worth knowing about the birds in your garden.
Clare Cahill

Thank you for reading!

Clare Cahill is a bird enthusiast with a passion for observing and learning. While she definitely doesn’t have a formal degree in ornithology, Clare has dedicated hours to reading birding books and exploring nature, constantly expanding her knowledge and deepening her love for wildlife.

For Clare, birdwatching brings a sense of calm and connection to the world, offering a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. She believes that the more we connect with nature, the more we can do to protect and conserve it. Through her writing, Clare hopes to inspire others to take a moment to pause, look up, and appreciate the calm and connection that comes from letting a little wildness into our everyday lives.

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When life feels busy, the birds keep it simple.

There’s something lovely about how feeding the birds becomes part of the rhythm of your day. A scoop of seed, a clean dish of water - and then a pause, just to watch who turns up. It doesn’t have to take long, but those moments can be surprisingly grounding. A little burst of mindfulness, fresh air, a chance to notice your garden as it changes throughout the seasons, and the cheerful flutter of wings - it’s good for the soul.

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