Coal Tit
Periparus ater
Sortmejsen er en mejse i ordenen af spurvefugle. Den yngler i Europa og i store dele af Asien.
Small with a black head, white cheeks and — the best mark — an elongated white nape-patch; grey back, buff-white underparts with no yellow, and two white wingbars. No black belly-stripe.
Can be confused with
- Great Tit — Great Tit is larger with yellow underparts and a black central stripe down the belly, and lacks the white nape-patch.
- Eurasian Blue Tit — Blue Tit has a blue crown, wings and tail and yellow underparts — no black cap or white nape-patch.
- European Crested Tit — Crested Tit has a pointed, speckled crest and lacks the white nape-patch; often with Coal Tit in conifers.
Plumage and variation
Male and female: Sexes alike — no visible difference in the field.
Juvenile: Juvenile is duller with a yellowish tinge to the cheeks and nape-patch instead of clean white.
Voice
The song recalls Great Tit but is higher and faster — a repeated "di-dyi, di-dyi", likened to a little hand-pump; thin "tsee" calls.
Behaviour
Lively and acrobatic; favours conifers and often keeps high in the trees. Hoards seeds and visits feeders, snatching a seed and darting off.
When and where
A very common resident everywhere in Denmark, especially in coniferous and mixed woodland; comes to gardens in winter.
Facts
Wingspan
18 cm
Conservation status
ikke truet
Relatives
Family
tits
Paridae
Order
passerines
Passeriformes
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