The Coal tit (Periparus ate), the smallest of the British Tits, has a distinctive grey back, black cap, and a distinctive white patch at the back of its neck. Sexes are alike. The Coal Tit occurs in all counties throughout the UK and Ireland. The fine bill highlights a preference for coniferous woodland, where they can feed on seeds and invertebrates from cones and vegetation. As such, they tend to occur more frequently in gardens close to coniferous woodland than those located elsewhere. Coal Tits often carry food away from a feeding station to store elsewhere, a behaviour that is also seen in other tits (especially Marsh Tit) but to a lesser degree.