Coal Tits in Switzerland
When the Coal Tit (Periparus ater) is present in Switzerland, when it nests, and which native Switzerland plants supply the food it depends on.
- Status in Switzerland
- Resident all year
- Nesting season
- April–June
- Size
- 11.5 cm, 9 g
- Nest box
- 25 mm hole, low down
When to expect coal tits in Switzerland
The Coal Tit lives in Switzerland all year round. Snowy winters in the mountains; milder on the Swiss plateau and around the lakes.
Temperate-continental in the plateau, Alpine in the mountains.
Nesting in Switzerland
In Switzerland the Coal Tit usually nests April–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 Switzerland plants for coal tits
Of the native plants we track for Switzerland, 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.
Blackberries and impenetrable nesting cover.
Early-summer cherries for Blackbirds and Jays.
Windfalls sustain thrushes and Fieldfares into winter.
Catkin seed for Siskins and Redpolls; many caterpillars for tit broods.
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 Switzerland all year?
Yes — the Coal Tit is resident in Switzerland all year.
When do coal tits nest in Switzerland?
Typically April–June. Clutches are 7–9 eggs, incubated for 14–16 days, with 1–2 per year.
Which native plants help coal tits in Switzerland?
Hawthorn, Ivy, Elder, Blackthorn, Bramble, Wild cherry, Crab apple, Silver birch are native to Switzerland 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 Switzerland
Sources
- Coal Tit — RSPB bird guide
- Coal Tit — BTO BirdFacts
- Swiss Breeding Bird Atlas — Swiss Ornithological Institute
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.