Photo: Marton Berntsen / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Coal Tit
Periparus ater
Coal Tit (Periparus ater) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Coal Tit (Periparus ater) is a member of the Paridae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 9.2 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Paridae Tits, Chickadees
- Genus Periparus
- Species ater
Quick facts
- Weight
- 9.2 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Paridae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Coal Tit is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Coal Tit is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Coal Tit (Periparus ater) is a member of the Paridae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL widespread.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 9.2 g, with a wing length of about 6.1 cm and a tail of around 4.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 19 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Coal Tit?
The Coal Tit is a very small bird that weighs around 9.2 g.
Where does the Coal Tit live?
The Coal Tit is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL widespread, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Coal Tit belong to?
The Coal Tit (Periparus ater) belongs to the Paridae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Coal Tit eat?
The Coal Tit is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Coal Tit migrate?
The Coal Tit is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Coal Tit endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Coal Tit make?
1 real field recording of the Coal Tit — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Coal Tit's range?
The Coal Tit has a mapped global range of about 19 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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