Coal Tits in Finland
When the Coal Tit (Periparus ater) is present in Finland, when it nests, and which native Finland plants supply the food it depends on.
- Status in Finland
- Resident all year
- Nesting season
- May–June
- Size
- 11.5 cm, 9 g
- Nest box
- 25 mm hole, low down
When to expect coal tits in Finland
The Coal Tit lives in Finland all year round. Long, dark, snowy winters; feeding is a widespread national habit.
Boreal continental, forested and lake-strewn.
Nesting in Finland
In Finland the Coal Tit usually nests May–June. Nest site: low hole — often in a bank, stump or box. Clutches are 7–9 eggs, incubated for 14–16 days; chicks fledge after 16–19 days, and pairs raise 1–2 per year.
- Nest box: 25 mm hole, low down. Put boxes up by February and clean them out between September and January.
- Avoid cutting hedges during the nesting season (roughly March to August) — in the UK, disturbing an active nest is an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Native Finland plants for coal tits
Of the native plants we track for Finland, these 8 provide food the Coal Tit uses:
Haws feed thrushes all winter; spring blossom supports hundreds of insect species.
Thorny cover that protects nests; early blossom for insects.
Blackberries and impenetrable nesting cover.
Catkin seed for Siskins and Redpolls; many caterpillars for tit broods.
Cones hold seed that Siskins and Goldfinches feed on all winter.
Hazelnuts for Nuthatches, Jays and Great Spotted Woodpeckers.
Pine seed for Coal Tits, Crested Tits and Crossbills.
Cone seed for Siskins and Coal Tits; Goldcrest nesting habitat.
Feeding in the garden
Insects and conifer seed; caches food in winter.
- Best foods: Sunflower hearts, Peanut fragments.
- Feeders: Tube feeder.
- Coal Tits dash in, grab one seed and fly off to cache it — they are not greedy, just storing.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked
Are coal tits in Finland all year?
Yes — the Coal Tit is resident in Finland all year.
When do coal tits nest in Finland?
Typically May–June. Clutches are 7–9 eggs, incubated for 14–16 days, with 1–2 per year.
Which native plants help coal tits in Finland?
Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Bramble, Silver birch, Alder, Hazel, Scots pine, Norway spruce are native to Finland and provide food or cover the Coal Tit uses.
What nest box does the Coal Tit use?
25 mm hole, low down.
Coal Tits in other countries
Other garden birds in Finland
Sources
- Coal Tit — RSPB bird guide
- Coal Tit — BTO BirdFacts
- Finnish Bird Atlas — Finnish Museum of Natural History
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.