Just wondering if anyone else has seen this occurence?
2 Coal Tits have been visiting our 3 seed feeders every day over the past 2 weeks, nothing unusual there. The strange thing is that we have noticed that most of the time they don't actually eat the seed there and then, but take the seed and appear to be 'hiding/storing' it in crevices of walls and trees and even in the soil under plants in the border! I'm presuming that they are trying to store food for when the weather turns, even though I keep the feeders constantly filled (not that they would know that though!), but did not know that they did it, nor know how they will remember where they have hidden the seed.
Hi Graham and welcome to the forum.
Yes, Coal Tits are well known for doing that. Sometimes other birds will follow them and pinch their stash!!
Cheers
Pipit
PS and they do often forget where they hid the seed too xx
Hi Graham and welcome to the forum,
My coal tits are grab and go merchants, but I have watched them grab a seed and fly to the top of the fence, then hold the seed between their feet and smash it to bits with their beak to get the middle part, then eat it!
Cheers, Linda.
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Coal Tits are in fact very keen gardeners!
At this time of year, as well as sowing seeds, they'll also be scarifying your lawn, planting spring bulbs and can even be observed applying a top up coat of Cuprinol to your fences.
Busy little things ;-)
This new forum is dreadful.
Hi Graham,
As Pipit already mentioned, Coal tits are one of our UK bird species that cache food over winter.
Smart thinking birds if you ask me.
Thanks
Craig
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. - Albert Einstein
Unknown said: Hi Graham, As Pipit already mentioned, Coal tits are one of our UK bird species that cache food over winter. Smart thinking birds if you ask me. Thanks Craig
Smart in hiding he he but not always so smart in finding them again he he.
An optimist sees the beauty of the complete rose.A pessimist sees only the thorn .
Hi Graham
Thanks for raising this, as it was something I was unaware of and helps others to pass on the knowledge.
Robert
Do great tits do the same as I'm getting lots of visits from them as of late ?.
Hi Robert
I don't think Great Tits are known for storing food but they are one of the main culprits for pinching the Coal Tits' stash.
Pipit x
I didn't know coal tits were noted for this behaviour. They never stay on my feeders - just grab a sunflower heart and go - but I've never observed them caching it though. You learn something new every day
TJ
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Tony
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I only know this because I was reading about them in a book. I particularly love Coal Tits and I was so thrilled when they started to visit my feeders. You are spot on with what they do - flash in, grab a seed or sunflower heart and flash off again.
Susan H said: Hi Graham and welcome to the forum, My coal tits are grab and go merchants, but I have watched them grab a seed and fly to the top of the fence, then hold the seed between their feet and smash it to bits with their beak to get the middle part, then eat it!
Hi Sparrow
While I'm being the font of all knowledge about Coal Tits (lol) may I beg to suggest that the birds you are watching are Great Tits. Smashing seeds is typical behaviour of the GT and not the CT.
Pipit :)