White-browed Tit-Warbler

Identificazione

These birds are small, weighing 6–8 g (0.21–0.28 oz) and are 8.5–10 cm (3.3–3.9 in) long. The males are vibrantly colored, with distinctive blue-mauve underparts. Both males and females have a light brown crown and white supercilium (eyebrow). The rump and upper tail-coverts are violet blue. Females are generally duller, and can be distinguished by their pale underparts, whereas the males have violet-blue underparts and chest. The tail is relatively long.

Tassonomia

The white-browed tit warbler is a passerine bird in the bushtit family. It was first described in 1873 by Russian ornithologist Nikolai Severtzov.<p>The genus name, Leptopoecile, comes from Greek leptos, which means "slender" or "delicate".: 222  James A. Jobling supposed, that the specific epithet, sophiae, comes from the female eponym "Sophia"; it might refer to Sophia Maria Alexandrovna, who was tzarina of Russia during Severtzov's lifetime.: 359–360  It is more likely, however, that the species epithet refers to Severtsov's wife, Sofia Alexandrovna Poltoratskaya. For about a year (1865-1866) Sophia was a member of Severtsov's expedition to the Tian Shan and Issyk-Kul. She collected plants and insects and, as a talented artist, made many sketches.<p>Four subspecies are recognized:<p>The exact range boundaries of the subspecies are not well known. The nominate race and L. s. obscurus form a similar group distinguished by their dark coloration and high altitude homes, whereas L. s. major and L. s. stoliczkae form a group distinguished by light coloration and lower altitude range. Since they inhabit different biomes in each group, and are somewhat distinct from the other, it has been proposed that they may actually be two different species.

Nome scientifico

Leptopoecile sophiae

Autorità

Severtsov, 1873

Ordine

Passeriformi

Famiglia

Aegithalidae

Genere

Leptopoecile

Areale e habitat

The white-browed tit-warbler prefers dry mountainous shrubland between 2,000–5,000 m (6,600–16,400 ft). It ranges in the Himalayas, the Tibetan Plateau, and much of Northwest China. They tend to disperse to lower elevations during the winter. A 2016 paper determined that they belonged to a "Middle-mountainous forest steppe community" within the Tian Shan mountain range. A study within Karakoram National Park found that they were uncommon residents, and that there was a winter influx of population.

Migrazione

Migrazione verticale

Comportamento

Comportamento migratorio: Migrazione verticale.

Conservazione

Tendenza della popolazione: stabile.

Tendenza della popolazione

stabile