Black-throated Tit
Aegithalos concinnus
Boldly patterned, tiny bird, usually found in groups. Adult gray above, pale below, with yellow eye and black throat and mask separated by white, chestnut-washed flanks. Juvenile has gray rather than orange and lacks black on throat. Significant regional variation in exact facial patterning: Indochinese population birds have a gray crown (bright rufous in other populations) and Himalayan birds have an white oval brow patch. Forages acrobatically in small branches, sometimes hovering at the tips to extract invertebrates. Often difficult to see in dense trees; presence given away by high-pitched contact calls (“tsip”) and thin, rolling trills. Predominantly found in broadleaf and mixed forests in foothills and submontane areas, but can also range into lowlands.
Identification
The black-throated bushtit is a small passerine, around 10.5 cm long and weighing 4-9 g. There is considerable racial variation in the plumage, but all subspecies have a medium length tail (as opposed to the long tail of the related long-tailed tit), a black throat and a black 'bandit mask' around the eye. The nominate race has a chestnut cap, breast band and flanks and dark grey back, wings and tail, and a white belly. The other subspecies have generally the same pattern (minus the chest band) but with grey caps or all grey bellies and flanks. Both sexes are alike.
Taxonomy
The species has six currently recognised subspecies, and several others have been suggested. Genetic studies have suggested that these subspecies may represent separate species, but further research is needed.
- Scientific name
- Aegithalos concinnus
- Authority
- (Gould, 1855)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Aegithalidae
- Genus
- Aegithalos
Range and habitat
It ranges from the foothills of the Himalayas, stretching across northern India through north-eastern Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, northern Myanmar, Vietnam, and Taiwan. Disjunct populations also occur in southern Vietnam, the island of Hainan and further north in China up to the Yellow River. It lives in open broadleaf forest as well as pine forest, generally occurring in middle altitudes.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The black-throated bushtit is highly social and will travel in large flocks of up to 40 birds.<p>The nest is constructed out of moss and lichen and hangs from the branches of trees.<p>The species feeds on small insects and spiders, as well as small seeds, fruits and berries (particularly raspberries). Group numbers swell during the non-breeding season, but smaller groups exist year round. These groups will often join mixed-species feeding flocks.
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Black-capped Kingfisher
Halcyon pileata
An unmistakable mid-sized kingfisher with a jet black head, white collar, and blood-red bill. It has purple-blue upperparts and pale orange-rufous underparts. Throat is white, blue tail has black underside, and in flight, white flashes on the underwings are conspicuous. Juvenile is duller blue with a small rufous-buff spot in front of the eye, a buffy collar, and dusky scaling on the breast. Calls similar to White-throated Kingfisher, but Black-capped’s are slightly higher-pitched. Frequents mangrove swamps and coastal wetlands, but often wanders up into hill streams.
White-tailed Crested Flycatcher
Elminia albonotata
Slim, dark member of the fairy flycatcher family. Shows a blackish head, a slight crest, a large white lower belly, and broad white corners to the tail. Found in montane forest. Often in pairs, frequently joining mixed-species feeding flocks. A perky, active bird that never seems to stop moving, often fanning its tail. Separated from other crested-flycatchers by its white tail corners.
Hoffmann's Woodpecker
Melanerpes hoffmannii
Medium-sized woodpecker with bold black-and-white barring on back and a cream-colored belly. A patch of yellow on the lower belly can be difficult to see. Male has red crown and yellow nape. Female lacks red crown. Distinctive in range, but hybridizes with Red-crowned Woodpecker; hybrids best left unidentified. Found in open woodland, edges, and gardens.
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