Black-lored Tit

Taxobox
name = Black-lored Tit
status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1
status_ref = [IUCN2006|assessors=BirdLife International|year=2004|id=52111|title=Parus xanthogenys|downloaded=12 May 2006 Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern]
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Passeriformes
familia = Paridae
genus = "Parus"
species = "P. xanthogenys"
binomial = "Parus xanthogenys"
binomial_authority = Vigors, 1831

The Black-lored Tit, "Parus xanthogenys, " is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. The Yellow-cheeked Tit is probably its closest relative, and they might be related to the Yellow Tit. These three tits almost certainly form a distinct lineage as evidenced by morphology, and mtDNA cytochrome "b" sequence analysis (Gill "et al.", 2005). The subgenus name "Macholophus" may apply for them; placement in "Poecile" (chickadees) was apparently proposedFact|date=February 2007 but is certainly in error.

This species is a resident breeder in the Himalayas. The race in peninsular India has been split as "Parus aplonotus" by Rasmussen and Anderton (2005). [Rasmussen, P. C. & J. C. Anderton 2005. "Birds of South Asia. The Ripley Guide". Smithsonian Institution.] It is a common bird in open tropical forests, but does not occur in Sri Lanka. It is an active and agile feeder, taking insects and spiders from the canopy, and sometimes fruit.

It is an easy tit to recognise in most of India, large in size at 13cm, with a broad black line (broader in the male) down its otherwise yellow front. The large crest, neck, throat and head are black with yellow cheeks and supercilia. Upperparts are olive-green. It has two white or yellowish wingbars and white outer tail feathers.

Females and young birds are duller than males. The underpart colour becomes increasingly dull from north to south through this tit's range.

The Black-lored Tit is, like other tits, a vocal bird, and has a large variety of calls, of which the most familiar is a "si-si". The song is a sometimes nuthatch like "chi-chi-chi".

Woodpecker or barbet holes are used for a nest, and this species will also excavate its own hole or use man-made sites. The clutch is typically 3-5 white eggs, spotted red. The bird is a close sitter, hissing when disturbed.

Notes

References

* Gill, Frank B.; Slikas, Beth & Sheldon, Frederick H. (2005): Phylogeny of titmice (Paridae): II. Species relationships based on sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome-"b" gene. "Auk" 122: 121-143. DOI: 10.1642/0004-8038(2005)122 [0121:POTPIS] 2.0.CO;2 [http://www.bioone.org/perlserv/?request=get-abstract&doi=10.1642%2F0004-8038%282005%29122%5B0121%3APOTPIS%5D2.0.CO%3B2 HTML abstract]

* Grimmett, Richard; Inskipp, Carol, Inskipp, Tim & Byers, Clive (1999): "Birds of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives". Princeton University Press, Princeton, N.J.. ISBN 0-691-04910-6

* Harrap, Simon & Quinn, David (1996): "Tits, Nuthatches & Treecreepers". Christopher Helm, London. ISBN 0-7136-3964-4