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Coal Tit (Periparus ater)

Clickhere for the bird's sound.

This bird is the smallest of all real tits in Holland. In summer you will never see it, because it lives high up in trees en prefers larger forests. Actually the Polish name means Pine Tit and that accurately describes the animal's habitat. In winter, especially snowy or cold ones, it will visit your garden to look at the food you're offering. The unstriking song is produced by both the males and the females.

This bird belongs to the family of Chickadees or Titmice (Paridae). It is common in our garden and can be seen in Holland all year round. The bird is 4" and weighs 9 grams. It lives in pine trees mostly. It eats insects and seeds. The sexes do not differ from one another. In april the birds look for a suitable hole in a tree to build their nest. No less than eight to ten eggs are being laid, which need 15 days to hatch. The chicks remain in their nest for 16 more days.

* Has been known as Parus ater for a long time, but has recently been placed in a new genus Periparus.