Periparus ater · Irish: Meantán Dubh

A tiny tit with a white racing stripe down the back of its head.

Habitat: Favours conifers but visits garden feeders everywhere. | Season: All year

Identification

• Black head with white cheeks and a white patch on the nape
• Ireland's Coal Tits (subspecies hibernicus) show a yellowish tinge to the cheeks, distinguishing them from British birds

Behaviour

Frequently caches food, hiding seeds to eat later; quick, restless visits to feeders.

Did you know?

A single Coal Tit can hide hundreds of seeds a day in bark crevices and moss, relying on sharp spatial memory to relocate its buried stores through the winter.

🔎 My Sighting

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