Coal Tits in Spain
When the Coal Tit (Periparus ater) is present in Spain, when it nests, and which native Spain plants supply the food it depends on.
- Status in Spain
- Resident all year
- Nesting season
- March–June
- Size
- 11.5 cm, 9 g
- Nest box
- 25 mm hole, low down
When to expect coal tits in Spain
The Coal Tit lives in Spain all year round. Mild, wetter winters host many northern European migrants — Robins, Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps.
Mediterranean across most of the country, oceanic in the north (Galicia to the Basque Country) and semi-arid in the south-east.
Nesting in Spain
In Spain the Coal Tit usually nests March–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 Spain plants for coal tits
Of the native plants we track for Spain, these 8 provide food the Coal Tit uses:
Haws feed thrushes all winter; spring blossom supports hundreds of insect species.
Late-winter berries when little else is left, plus dense nesting cover.
Late-summer berries taken by Blackcaps and thrushes.
Thorny cover that protects nests; early blossom for insects.
Berries and nest sites in its tangles; moths for insect-eaters.
Blackberries and impenetrable nesting cover.
Seed heads for Goldfinches and a nectar source for insects.
Early-summer cherries for Blackbirds and Jays.
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 Spain all year?
Yes — the Coal Tit is resident in Spain all year.
When do coal tits nest in Spain?
Typically March–June. Clutches are 7–9 eggs, incubated for 14–16 days, with 1–2 per year.
Which native plants help coal tits in Spain?
Hawthorn, Ivy, Elder, Blackthorn, Honeysuckle, Bramble, Common knapweed, Wild cherry are native to Spain 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 Spain
Sources
- Coal Tit — RSPB bird guide
- Coal Tit — BTO BirdFacts
- SEO/BirdLife — Atlas de las aves en época de reproducción
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.