Coal Tit look-alikes
Periparus ater
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Open the appSeveral birds can be mistaken for the Coal Tit. Compare the key differences below to confirm your sighting.
Birds to compare
Marsh Tit
Poecile palustris
Key differences
Lacks the white nape patch and white wing-bars of the Coal Tit. Its cap is duller black, and its cheeks are uniformly white without the distinct contrast seen in the Coal Tit. Marsh Tits also have a more uniform grey-brown back.
Willow Tit
Poecile montanus
Key differences
Similar to Marsh Tit, but often has a duller, more extensive black bib and a pale panel on the wing (though not as distinct as Coal Tit's wing-bars). Like Marsh Tit, it lacks the white nape patch. Its call is a distinctive 'zee-zoo-zee'.
Crested Tit
Lophophanes cristatus
Key differences
Easily distinguished by its prominent erectile crest and a black 'collar' around its white cheeks. Found primarily in coniferous forests in central and northern Europe.
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