Coal tits are small and nimble birds that have become regular features on our garden feeders. Not as vibrant in colour as their closely related cousins, the blue tit and the great tit, coal tits have a buff chest, a black cap with white cheeks and a white spot on the back of their necks.
While coal tits often flock together with other similar birds in the winter for safety and warmth, they sometimes can’t hold their own on the bird feeder. Because of their small stature, coal tits are often spooked off the bird table by larger species. Therefore, coal tits are extremely quick when snatching up their food, taking it to nearby bushes and fence posts to eat it in their own time.
Is that a great tit or a coal tit? Their familiar two-note calls may sound very similar to one another, however, the coal tit’s sound is much higher and thinner than the great tit’s ‘teacher teacher’ song.
Diet
Coal tits eat a range of insects and seed, with beech mast also playing a vital role in the diet.
RECOMMENDED FOOD
Our high quality Sunflower Hearts feed is bursting with energy and richness. They are a favourite with coal tits and are a highly nutritious food source that is rich in protein, providing invaluable year-round energy for wild birds.