Fun Coal Tit Facts For Kids

The coal tit (Periparus ater) is a species of birds belonging to the tit group of birds, which also includes the blue tit, the crested tit, the great tit, the marsh tit, and the willow tit. This species is present mostly in the continent of Europe, and in large numbers in the United Kingdom. Northern Africa and Asia also have a limited coal tit population too.A coal tit is a small bird with a wingspan of 6.7-8.3 in (17-21 cm) and a length of 3.9-4.5 in (10-11.5 cm). It looks a lot like its close cousins, the great tit and the blue tit. Coal tits have shades of gray, green, white, brown, and black on their bodies. Males and females look identical, apart from an extra white patch on males. They breed in April and fly with other species in the winter. The songs of coal tits are higher pitched than those of great tits, and they are characterized by a ‘pitee pitee’ sound. Finland has anywhere between 30,000 to 100,000 pairs of coal tits and the UK has around 600,000!Learn more about these amazing birds, or other birds like the yellow warbler and great tit here on Kidadl.‍

What do they prey on? Insects, conifer seeds, spiders, nuts, sunflower hearts, suet, and sunflower seeds

What do they eat? Omnivore

Average litter size? 7-12

How much do they weigh? 0.019-o.022 lb (8-10 g)

How long are they? Wingspan: 6.7-8.3 in (17-21 cm)

How tall are they? 3.9-4.5 in (10-11.5 cm)

What do they look like? Gray, green, white, brown, and black

Skin Type Feathers

What were their main threats? Foxes, Cats, Tough Winters, Insufficient Seed Crops

What is their conservation status? Least Concern

Where you’ll find them? Gardens, Parks, Hedgerows, Spruce Woodland, Pines, And Farmland, Conifers

Locations Europe, Asia, And Morocco

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Periparus

Class Aves

Family Paridae

Coal Tit Interesting FactsWhat type of animal is a coal tit?The coal tit is a bird.What class of animal does a coal tit belong to?The coal tit belongs to the bird (Aves) class of animals.How many coal tits are there in the world?The entire world’s coal tit population can be estimated to be between 90,850,000 to 164,290,000 adult individuals.Where does a coal tit live?Coal tits are birds that favor natural habitats such as spruce woodland, farmlands, hedgerows, gardens, and parks.What is a coal tit’s habitat?Their preferred habitat is a woodland of conifer trees. They build a nest and breed in wooden stumps and holes in the ground. They build their nest using feathers, hair, wool, and animal fur. Who do coal tits live with?Coal tits live in pairs and fly with flocks of different species of birds during winters.How long does a coal tit live?The average lifespan of coal tit birds is two years.How do they reproduce?After mating, female coal tits lay and incubate eggs in the months of April and May, while the male provides food. Her clutch of seven to 12 eggs is laid in a nest in tree stumps or in holes in the ground, and they hatch after 18 days.What is their conservation status?There is no significant threat to the population of coal tit birds, so the International Union for Conservation of Nature has deemed their conservation status as Least Concern.Coal Tit Fun FactsWhat do coal tits look like?A coal tit is a small bird. Coal tit wings are just 6.7-8.3 in (17-21 cm) long and in total, they have a length of 3.9-4.5 in (10-11.5 cm). It looks a lot like the great tit and the blue tit. The marsh tit and the willow tit are bigger and heavier than coal tits. The underside of a coal tit is a brownish and dirty white color. They have a long white nape patch, white cheeks, and black crowns. Its bill is smaller and more pointed than that of the blue tit or great tit and its legs are a bluish-gray. Coal tits also have a black bib and white wingbars, with a yellow tinge on their cheeks. The only way to distinguish male and female coal tits is to look for an extra white patch on the male’s head.The appearance of coal tits changes slightly in different locations. For example, coal tits in the Himalayas and in Chinese regions have a small crest whereas North African coal tits have tainted yellow cheeks (instead of the usual white cheeks) and coal tits from Europe are crestless and have flanks that are buffy. Their tails are fan-shaped, notched, and gray.How cute are they?Coal tits are extremely cute birds. Their white cheeks, black bib, and bluish-gray legs make them a beautiful sight to behold in a public garden or even your own garden. They also sing a sweet high-pitched song.How do they communicate?Coal tits communicate with calls and songs that are higher in pitch as well as faster than those by the great tit.How big is a coal tit?Coal tits have a wingspan of 6.7-8.3 in (17-21 cm) and a height of 3.9-4.5 in (10-11.5 cm), which makes a coal tit about 11 times smaller than a bald eagle.How fast can a coal tit fly?Their exact speed is unknown, but they are capable of traveling quickly between distances.How much does a coal tit weigh?A coal tit weighs about 0.019-o.022 lb (8-10 g).What are their male and female names of the species?Males and female coal tits do not have specific names.What would you call a baby coal tit?A baby coal tit is simply called a young coal tit when it hatches from eggs.What do they eat?The coal tit is an omnivore that eats insects, conifer seeds, spiders, nuts, sunflower hearts, suet, and sunflower seeds.Are they friendly with humans?Yes, coal tits are relatively friendly to humans but they are less familiar to humans than their cousins the blue tit and great tit. Coal tits inhabit lots of parks and gardens and feeders can be set up for them by humans, much like many other birds. Some people even feed coal tits and great tits from their hands.Would they make a good pet?Coal tits are free-moving creatures and should not be kept as pets.Did you know…The weight of a coal tit is the same as that of a 50 pence coin.Coal tits often flock to the gardens of the cities they inhabit. Gardens that have bird feeders are also frequented by coal tits. Feeders in a garden can be supplemented with a variety of food such as seeds from coniferous trees and sunflower hearts.In a domestic garden, while looking for food, a pet cat may prove to be a threat to a visiting coal tit. This is why, when putting out a feeder in your garden, it should be at a height of at least 3.3 ft (1 m). In a wild garden, a fox may also prove to be a predator to coal tits.The song of a Coal tit sounds similar to that of a great tit, but a great tit song is lower in pitch, whereas a coal tit song is higher in pitch.A woodland of coniferous trees is the preferred breeding ground for coal tits. They use these coniferous trees to build nestboxes and for foraging and feeding. These nestboxes are home bases for breeding and laying their eggs in, as well as for feeding their young. The nestboxes may often be made in old tree stumps of coniferous trees.Although the typical coal tit habitat is coniferous woodlands, it can also call a variety of other habitats its home, such as hedgerows, spruce woodland, pines, parks, and farmland.Coal tit flocks use calls to stay in contact with each other. These calls are ‘see-see or ‘dee’ sounds.A coal tit egg hatches after a very short time of just 18 days.The best way to identify the coal tit is by its light brown underpart and gray feathers above. Its cheeks are black, its bib is black, and it has a white patch on the behind of its head. The large black bib of a coal tit is triangular in shape.Coal tits can be seen throughout the year, especially in their preferred habitats of coniferous woodlands in Europe, but also in gardens too if you leave bird feeders out for them!What is a coal tit’s favorite tree?Coal tits love any coniferous trees, but a favorite plant for them is the sunflower plant, as they like feeding on its seeds and hearts.What is special about the flight of a coal tit?The flight of a coal tit bird is bounding and fast, with beats of wings that reach a rapid speed and then pull to the sides for a short period. Their flight pattern alternates between these two movements.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds including the scarlet macaw, or Senegal parrot.You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our Coal Tit coloring pages.‍

What type of animal is a coal tit?

The coal tit is a bird.

Fun Coal Tit Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Insects, conifer seeds, spiders, nuts, sunflower hearts, suet, and sunflower seeds

What do they eat? Omnivore

Average litter size? 7-12

How much do they weigh? 0.019-o.022 lb (8-10 g)

How long are they? Wingspan: 6.7-8.3 in (17-21 cm)

How tall are they? 3.9-4.5 in (10-11.5 cm)

What do they look like? Gray, green, white, brown, and black

Skin Type Feathers

What were their main threats? Foxes, Cats, Tough Winters, Insufficient Seed Crops

What is their conservation status? Least Concern

Where you’ll find them? Gardens, Parks, Hedgerows, Spruce Woodland, Pines, And Farmland, Conifers

Locations Europe, Asia, And Morocco

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Periparus

Class Aves

Family Paridae

Fun Coal Tit Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Insects, conifer seeds, spiders, nuts, sunflower hearts, suet, and sunflower seeds

What do they eat? Omnivore

Average litter size? 7-12

How much do they weigh? 0.019-o.022 lb (8-10 g)

How long are they? Wingspan: 6.7-8.3 in (17-21 cm)

How tall are they? 3.9-4.5 in (10-11.5 cm)

What do they look like? Gray, green, white, brown, and black

Skin Type Feathers

What were their main threats? Foxes, Cats, Tough Winters, Insufficient Seed Crops

What is their conservation status? Least Concern

Where you’ll find them? Gardens, Parks, Hedgerows, Spruce Woodland, Pines, And Farmland, Conifers

Locations Europe, Asia, And Morocco

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Periparus

Class Aves

Family Paridae

Fun Coal Tit Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Insects, conifer seeds, spiders, nuts, sunflower hearts, suet, and sunflower seeds

What do they eat? Omnivore

Average litter size? 7-12

How much do they weigh? 0.019-o.022 lb (8-10 g)

How long are they? Wingspan: 6.7-8.3 in (17-21 cm)

How tall are they? 3.9-4.5 in (10-11.5 cm)

What do they look like? Gray, green, white, brown, and black

Skin Type Feathers

What were their main threats? Foxes, Cats, Tough Winters, Insufficient Seed Crops

What is their conservation status? Least Concern

Where you’ll find them? Gardens, Parks, Hedgerows, Spruce Woodland, Pines, And Farmland, Conifers

Locations Europe, Asia, And Morocco

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Periparus

Class Aves

Family Paridae