Titmouse
Encyclopedia
The tits, chickadees, and titmice constitute Paridae, a large family of small passerine
bird
s which occur in the northern hemisphere
and Africa
. Most were formerly classified in the genus Parus.
These birds are called either "chickadees" (onomatopoeic, derived from their distinctive "chick-a dee dee dee" alarm call
) or "titmice" in North America, and just "tits" in the rest of the English
-speaking world. The name titmouse is recorded from the 14th century, composed of the Old English
name for the bird, mase (Proto-Germanic *maison, German
Meise) and tit, denoting something small. The spelling was influenced by mouse
in the 16th century. Emigrants to New Zealand
presumably identified some of the superficially similar birds of the genus Petroica
of the family Petroicidae, the Australian robins, as members of the tit family, giving them the title Tomtit
although, in fact, they are not related.
These birds are mainly small stocky woodland species
with short stout bills
. Some have crests. They range in length from 10 to 22 centimetres. They are adaptable birds, with a mixed diet including seeds and insect
s. Many species will live around human habitation and come readily to bird feeder
s for nuts or seed, and learn to take other foods. In Britain, Great Tit
s and Blue Tit
s famously learned to break open the foil caps sealing bottles of milk
that had been delivered to homes to get at the cream
floating on top.
These are hole-nesting birds, typically using trees, although some species build nests on the ground. They lay anything from three to nineteen speckled white eggs
, depending on species.
, and particularly colour.
The bills
of the tits are generally short, and vary between stout and fine dependent on diet. The more insectivorous species have finer bills, whereas those that consume more seeds have stouter bills. The most aberrant bill of the family is possessed by the Hume's Ground Tit
, which is long and decurved.
The tits are a widespread family of birds, occurring over most of Europe, Asia, North America and Africa. The genus Poecile
occurs from Europe through Asia into North America, as far south as southern Mexico
. American species in this genus are known as chickadees. Some species in this genus have quite large natural distributions, one, the Siberian Tit
, is distributed from Scandinavia to Alaska and Canada. The majority of the tits in the genus Periparus
are found in the south eastern portion of Asia. This includes two species endemic to the Philippines
. The Coal Tit
, also in this genus, is a much more widespread species, ranging from the British Isles and North Africa to Japan. The two crested tits of the genus Lophophanes
have a disjunct distribution, with one species occurring in Europe and the other in central Asia.
The titmice (genus Baeolophus
) are unique to America. The biggest genus, Parus
has numerous species found in Africa, several in southern and eastern Asia, and one, the Great Tit
, which ranges from Western Europe to Indonesia. Cyanistes
has a European and Asian distribution (also nudging into northern Africa), and the three remaining genera, Pseudopodoces, Sylviparus and Melanochlora are all restricted to Asia.
during the breeding season and often joining mixed-species feeding flock
s during the non-breeding season. The tits are highly adaptable and, after the corvids
(crows and jays) and parrot
s, amongst the most intelligent of all birds.
, the call which gives them their local common name, the chickadee. The call also serves a rallying call to summon others to mob and harass the predator. It has been demonstrated through experiments that the number of "dee" syllables at the end of the call increases with the level of danger the predator poses.
s and nuts, particularly in the winter. One characteristic method of foraging in the family is hanging, where they will inspect a branch or twig and leaves from all angles while hanging upside down to feed. In areas where numerous species of tit coexist different species will forage in different parts of the tree, their niche determined in no small way by their morphology; larger species forage on the ground, medium sized species foraging on larger branches and the smallest species on the ends of branches. Having obtained larger prey items or seeds tits will engage in hold-hammering, where they will hold the item with one foot and hammer it with the bill until it is open. In this fashion they can even open hazelnut
s in around 20 minutes. A number of genera engage in food caching, hoarding supplies of food during the winter. These caches are usually of seeds but may be of insects as well.
Recently, the large Parus group has been gradually split into several genera (as indicated below), which has been pioneered by North America
n ornithological authorities and to a more limited degree (as of now) elsewhere. Whereas in the mid-1990s, only Pseudopodoces, Baeolophus, Melanochlora and Sylviparus were considered well-supported by the available data as distinct from Parus. Today, this arrangement is considered paraphyletic as indicated by mtDNA cytochrome b
sequence
analysis and Parus is best restricted to the Parus major—Parus fasciiventer clade
, and even the latter species' closest relatives might be considered a distinct genus.
In the Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy
, the Paridae family is much enlarged to include related groups such as the Penduline tit
s and Long-tailed tit
s, but while the former are quite close to the titmice indeed and could conceivably be included in that family together with the stenostirid "warblers"
, the long-tailed tits are not. Indeed, the Yellow-browed Tit
and the Sultan Tit
are possibly more distant to the tits than the penduline tits are. If the two current families are lumped into the Paridae, the tits would be a subfamily Parinae.
Alternatively, all tits—save the two monotypic genera discussed in the preceding section and possibly Cyanistes, but including Hume's Ground Tit—could be lumped in Parus. In any case, four major clades of "typical" tits can be recognized: the dark-capped chickadees and their relatives (Poecile including Sittiparus), the long-crested Baeolophus and Lophophanes species, the usually tufted, white-cheeked Periparus (including Pardaliparus) with more subdued coloration and finally Parus sensu stricto (including Melaniparus and Macholophus). Still, the interrelationship of these as well as the relationships of many species within the clades are not well resolved at all; analysis of morphology
and biogeography
probably gives more a robust picture than the available molecular data.
Tits have settled North America twice, probably at some time during the Early-Mid Pliocene
. The first were the ancestors of Baeolophus; chickadees arrived somewhat later.
Family: PARIDAE
Passerine
A passerine is a bird of the order Passeriformes, which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds or, less accurately, as songbirds, the passerines form one of the most diverse terrestrial vertebrate orders: with over 5,000 identified species, it has roughly...
bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s which occur in the northern hemisphere
Northern Hemisphere
The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of its equator—the word hemisphere literally means “half sphere”. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator...
and Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. Most were formerly classified in the genus Parus.
These birds are called either "chickadees" (onomatopoeic, derived from their distinctive "chick-a dee dee dee" alarm call
Alarm call
In the field of animal communication, an alarm signal is an antipredator adaptation referring to various signals emitted by social animals in response to danger. Many primates and birds have elaborate alarm calls for warning conspecifics of approaching predators. For example, the characteristic...
) or "titmice" in North America, and just "tits" in the rest of the English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
-speaking world. The name titmouse is recorded from the 14th century, composed of the Old English
Old English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
name for the bird, mase (Proto-Germanic *maison, German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
Meise) and tit, denoting something small. The spelling was influenced by mouse
Mouse
A mouse is a small mammal belonging to the order of rodents. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse . It is also a popular pet. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are also common. This rodent is eaten by large birds such as hawks and eagles...
in the 16th century. Emigrants to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
presumably identified some of the superficially similar birds of the genus Petroica
Petroica
Petroica is a genus of Australasian robins, named due to their red and pink markings. They are not closely related to the European Robin nor the American robin...
of the family Petroicidae, the Australian robins, as members of the tit family, giving them the title Tomtit
Tomtit
The Tomtit, Petroica macrocephala, is a small passerine bird in the family Petroicidae, the Australian robins. It is endemic to the islands of New Zealand, ranging across the main islands as well as several of the outlying islands. It has several other English names as well. There are several...
although, in fact, they are not related.
These birds are mainly small stocky woodland species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
with short stout bills
Beak
The beak, bill or rostrum is an external anatomical structure of birds which is used for eating and for grooming, manipulating objects, killing prey, fighting, probing for food, courtship and feeding young...
. Some have crests. They range in length from 10 to 22 centimetres. They are adaptable birds, with a mixed diet including seeds and insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s. Many species will live around human habitation and come readily to bird feeder
Bird feeder
A birdfeeder, bird feeder, bird table, or tray feeder are devices placed outdoors to supply bird food to birds...
s for nuts or seed, and learn to take other foods. In Britain, Great Tit
Great Tit
The Great Tit is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread and common species throughout Europe, the Middle East, Central and Northern Asia, and parts of North Africa in any sort of woodland. It is generally resident, and most Great Tits do not migrate except in extremely...
s and Blue Tit
Blue Tit
The Blue Tit is a 10.5 to 12 cm long passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread and common resident breeder throughout temperate and subarctic Europe and western Asia in deciduous or mixed woodlands...
s famously learned to break open the foil caps sealing bottles of milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
that had been delivered to homes to get at the cream
Cream
Cream is a dairy product that is composed of the higher-butterfat layer skimmed from the top of milk before homogenization. In un-homogenized milk, over time, the lighter fat rises to the top. In the industrial production of cream this process is accelerated by using centrifuges called "separators"...
floating on top.
These are hole-nesting birds, typically using trees, although some species build nests on the ground. They lay anything from three to nineteen speckled white eggs
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
, depending on species.
Description
With the exception of the three monotypic genera Sylviparus, Melanochlora and Pseudopodoces, the tits are extremely similar in appearance, and have been described as "one of the most conservative avian families in terms of general morphology". The typical length of the family is between 10 to 16 cm (3.9 to 6.3 in) in length, when the monotypic genera are added this range is from 9 to 21 cm (3.5 to 8.3 in). In weight the family ranges from 5 to 49 g (0.17636981052556 to 1.7 oz), this contracts to 7 to 29 g (0.246917734735784 to 1 oz) when the three atypical genera are removed. The majority of the variation within the family comes in plumagePlumage
Plumage refers both to the layer of feathers that cover a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage vary between species and subspecies and can also vary between different age classes, sexes, and season. Within species there can also be a...
, and particularly colour.
The bills
Beak
The beak, bill or rostrum is an external anatomical structure of birds which is used for eating and for grooming, manipulating objects, killing prey, fighting, probing for food, courtship and feeding young...
of the tits are generally short, and vary between stout and fine dependent on diet. The more insectivorous species have finer bills, whereas those that consume more seeds have stouter bills. The most aberrant bill of the family is possessed by the Hume's Ground Tit
Hume's Ground Tit
The Tibetan Ground-tit or Hume's Ground-tit is a lark-like bird which lives to the north of the Himalayas. It is also known simply as Ground Tit or simply as Hume's Groundpecker. It was formerly thought to belong to the family Corvidae which includes the crows and jays and was called as the Hume's...
, which is long and decurved.
Distribution and habitat
Poecile
Poecile is a genus of bird in the tit family that is often lumped into the genus Parus. It has 13–15 species, which are scattered across North America, Europe and Asia; the North American species are the chickadees...
occurs from Europe through Asia into North America, as far south as southern Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. American species in this genus are known as chickadees. Some species in this genus have quite large natural distributions, one, the Siberian Tit
Siberian Tit
The Siberian Tit or Gray-headed Chickadee is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread resident breeder throughout subarctic Scandinavia and northern Asia, and also into North America in Alaska and the far northwest of Canada. It is a conifer specialist...
, is distributed from Scandinavia to Alaska and Canada. The majority of the tits in the genus Periparus
Periparus
Periparus is a genus of birds in the tit family that, as defined here, consists of the following species:*Rufous-naped Tit, Black-breasted Tit or Dark-grey Tit, Periparus rufonuchalis*Rufous-vented Tit, Periparus rubidiventris...
are found in the south eastern portion of Asia. This includes two species endemic to the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. The Coal Tit
Coal Tit
The Coal Tit, Periparus ater, is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread and common resident breeder throughout temperate to subtropical Eurasia and northern Africa. The Spot-winged Tit The Coal Tit, Periparus ater, is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a...
, also in this genus, is a much more widespread species, ranging from the British Isles and North Africa to Japan. The two crested tits of the genus Lophophanes
Lophophanes
Lophophanes is a genus of birds in the Paridae family.It contains the following species:* Crested Tit * Grey-crested Tit -References:...
have a disjunct distribution, with one species occurring in Europe and the other in central Asia.
The titmice (genus Baeolophus
Baeolophus
Baeolophus is a genus of bird, commonly known as titmice in the Paridae family, all of which are native to North America. In the past, most authorities retained Baeolophus as a subgenus within the genus Parus, but treatment as a distinct genus, initiated by the American Ornithologists Union, is...
) are unique to America. The biggest genus, Parus
Parus
Parus is a genus of Old World birds in the tit family. As defined here, it contains the following species:* Genus Parus** White-shouldered Tit Parus guineensis, sometimes separated in Melaniparus...
has numerous species found in Africa, several in southern and eastern Asia, and one, the Great Tit
Great Tit
The Great Tit is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread and common species throughout Europe, the Middle East, Central and Northern Asia, and parts of North Africa in any sort of woodland. It is generally resident, and most Great Tits do not migrate except in extremely...
, which ranges from Western Europe to Indonesia. Cyanistes
Cyanistes
Cyanistes is a genus of tits. It is frequently subsumed into Parus. It consists of three small species found in temperate Europe and Asia and Northern AfricaThe species are:* Blue Tit, Cyanistes caeruleus* Azure Tit, Cyanistes cyanus...
has a European and Asian distribution (also nudging into northern Africa), and the three remaining genera, Pseudopodoces, Sylviparus and Melanochlora are all restricted to Asia.
Behaviour
The tits are active, noisy and social birds. The tits also have a variety of methods for attracting mates, primarily through their intricate, bouncing mating dance. They are territorialTerritory (animal)
In ethology the term territory refers to any sociographical area that an animal of a particular species consistently defends against conspecifics...
during the breeding season and often joining mixed-species feeding flock
Mixed-species feeding flock
A mixed-species feeding flock, also termed a mixed-species foraging flock, mixed hunting party or informally bird wave, is a flock of usually insectivorous birds of different species, that join each other and move together while foraging...
s during the non-breeding season. The tits are highly adaptable and, after the corvids
Corvidae
Corvidae is a cosmopolitan family of oscine passerine birds that contains the crows, ravens, rooks, jackdaws, jays, magpies, treepies, choughs and nutcrackers. The common English names used are corvids or the crow family , and there are over 120 species...
(crows and jays) and parrot
Parrot
Parrots, also known as psittacines , are birds of the roughly 372 species in 86 genera that make up the order Psittaciformes, found in most tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three families: the Psittacidae , the Cacatuidae and the Strigopidae...
s, amongst the most intelligent of all birds.
Vocalisations
The tits make a variety of calls and songs. They are amongst the most vocal of all birds, calling continuously in most situations, so much so that they are only ever silent for specific reasons such as avoiding predators or when intruding on a rival's territory. Quiet contact calls are made while feeding to facilitate cohesion with others in their social group. Other calls are used for signalling alarm—the most famous of which is the "Chic-a-dee-dee" of North American species in the genus PoecilePoecile
Poecile is a genus of bird in the tit family that is often lumped into the genus Parus. It has 13–15 species, which are scattered across North America, Europe and Asia; the North American species are the chickadees...
, the call which gives them their local common name, the chickadee. The call also serves a rallying call to summon others to mob and harass the predator. It has been demonstrated through experiments that the number of "dee" syllables at the end of the call increases with the level of danger the predator poses.
Diet and feeding
The tits are generalist insectivores that consume a wide range of small insects and other invertebrates, particularly small defoliating caterpillars. They also consume seedSeed
A seed is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth within the mother plant...
s and nuts, particularly in the winter. One characteristic method of foraging in the family is hanging, where they will inspect a branch or twig and leaves from all angles while hanging upside down to feed. In areas where numerous species of tit coexist different species will forage in different parts of the tree, their niche determined in no small way by their morphology; larger species forage on the ground, medium sized species foraging on larger branches and the smallest species on the ends of branches. Having obtained larger prey items or seeds tits will engage in hold-hammering, where they will hold the item with one foot and hammer it with the bill until it is open. In this fashion they can even open hazelnut
Hazelnut
A hazelnut is the nut of the hazel and is also known as a cob nut or filbert nut according to species. A cob is roughly spherical to oval, about 15–25 mm long and 10–15 mm in diameter, with an outer fibrous husk surrounding a smooth shell. A filbert is more elongated, being about twice...
s in around 20 minutes. A number of genera engage in food caching, hoarding supplies of food during the winter. These caches are usually of seeds but may be of insects as well.
Systematics
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n ornithological authorities and to a more limited degree (as of now) elsewhere. Whereas in the mid-1990s, only Pseudopodoces, Baeolophus, Melanochlora and Sylviparus were considered well-supported by the available data as distinct from Parus. Today, this arrangement is considered paraphyletic as indicated by mtDNA cytochrome b
Cytochrome b
Cytochrome b/b6 is the main subunit of transmembrane cytochrome bc1 and b6f complexes. In addition, it commonly refers to a region of mtDNA used for population genetics and phylogenetics.- Function :...
sequence
DNA sequence
The sequence or primary structure of a nucleic acid is the composition of atoms that make up the nucleic acid and the chemical bonds that bond those atoms. Because nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, are unbranched polymers, this specification is equivalent to specifying the sequence of...
analysis and Parus is best restricted to the Parus major—Parus fasciiventer clade
Clade
A clade is a group consisting of a species and all its descendants. In the terms of biological systematics, a clade is a single "branch" on the "tree of life". The idea that such a "natural group" of organisms should be grouped together and given a taxonomic name is central to biological...
, and even the latter species' closest relatives might be considered a distinct genus.
In the Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy
Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy
The Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy is a bird taxonomy proposed by Charles Sibley and Jon Edward Ahlquist. It is based on DNA-DNA hybridization studies conducted in the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s....
, the Paridae family is much enlarged to include related groups such as the Penduline tit
Penduline tit
The penduline tits are a family of small passerine birds, related to the true tits. All but the Verdin and Fire-capped Tit make elaborate bag nests hanging from trees , usually over water; inclusion of the Fire-capped Tit in this family is disputed by some authorities.-Characteristics:Penduline...
s and Long-tailed tit
Long-tailed Tit
The Long-tailed Tit or Long-tailed Bushtit is a common bird found throughout Europe and Asia. There are several extensive accounts of this species, most notably Cramp and Perrins, 1993; Gaston, 1973; and Harrap and Quinn, 1996...
s, but while the former are quite close to the titmice indeed and could conceivably be included in that family together with the stenostirid "warblers"
Stenostiridae
Stenostiridae, or the Fairy Flycatchers, is a family of small passerine birds proposed as a result of recent discoveries in molecular systematics . They are commonly referred to as stenostirid warblers....
, the long-tailed tits are not. Indeed, the Yellow-browed Tit
Yellow-browed Tit
The Yellow-browed Tit is a species of bird in the family Paridae. It is placed in the monotypic genus Sylviparus....
and the Sultan Tit
Sultan Tit
The Sultan Tit is a large songbird with a yellow crest, dark bill, black upperparts plumage and yellow underparts. The sexes are similar. The female has greenish black upperparts and yellowish throat...
are possibly more distant to the tits than the penduline tits are. If the two current families are lumped into the Paridae, the tits would be a subfamily Parinae.
Alternatively, all tits—save the two monotypic genera discussed in the preceding section and possibly Cyanistes, but including Hume's Ground Tit—could be lumped in Parus. In any case, four major clades of "typical" tits can be recognized: the dark-capped chickadees and their relatives (Poecile including Sittiparus), the long-crested Baeolophus and Lophophanes species, the usually tufted, white-cheeked Periparus (including Pardaliparus) with more subdued coloration and finally Parus sensu stricto (including Melaniparus and Macholophus). Still, the interrelationship of these as well as the relationships of many species within the clades are not well resolved at all; analysis of morphology
Morphology (biology)
In biology, morphology is a branch of bioscience dealing with the study of the form and structure of organisms and their specific structural features....
and biogeography
Biogeography
Biogeography is the study of the distribution of species , organisms, and ecosystems in space and through geological time. Organisms and biological communities vary in a highly regular fashion along geographic gradients of latitude, elevation, isolation and habitat area...
probably gives more a robust picture than the available molecular data.
Tits have settled North America twice, probably at some time during the Early-Mid Pliocene
Pliocene
The Pliocene Epoch is the period in the geologic timescale that extends from 5.332 million to 2.588 million years before present. It is the second and youngest epoch of the Neogene Period in the Cenozoic Era. The Pliocene follows the Miocene Epoch and is followed by the Pleistocene Epoch...
. The first were the ancestors of Baeolophus; chickadees arrived somewhat later.
Species in taxonomic order
- Penduline titPenduline titThe penduline tits are a family of small passerine birds, related to the true tits. All but the Verdin and Fire-capped Tit make elaborate bag nests hanging from trees , usually over water; inclusion of the Fire-capped Tit in this family is disputed by some authorities.-Characteristics:Penduline...
s and - stenostirid "warblers"StenostiridaeStenostiridae, or the Fairy Flycatchers, is a family of small passerine birds proposed as a result of recent discoveries in molecular systematics . They are commonly referred to as stenostirid warblers....
- might be included here
Family: PARIDAE
- Genus PoecilePoecilePoecile is a genus of bird in the tit family that is often lumped into the genus Parus. It has 13–15 species, which are scattered across North America, Europe and Asia; the North American species are the chickadees...
—formerly included in Parus- Sombre TitSombre TitThe Sombre Tit is a member of the tit family found in southeast Europe and southwest Asia.Though it is traditionally placed in Parus, mtDNA cytochrome b sequence data suggests that that genus should be split, as already adopted by the American Ornithologists' Union, for example...
- Sombre Tit
- Caspian TitCaspian TitThe Caspian Tit is a passerine bird in the tit family. It is often lumped with Sombre Tit Poecile lugubris The Caspian Tit (Poecile hyrcanus, formerly Parus hyrcanus) is a passerine bird in the tit family. It is often lumped with Sombre Tit Poecile lugubris The Caspian Tit (Poecile hyrcanus,...
Poecile hyrcanus (often included in P. lugubris) - Marsh TitMarsh TitThe Marsh Tit Poecile palustris is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae and genus Poecile, closely related to the Willow, Père David's and Songar Tits. It is small with a black crown and nape, pale cheeks, brown back and greyish-brown wings and tail. Between 8 and 11 subspecies are recognised...
Poecile palustris - Willow TitWillow TitThe Willow Tit is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread and common resident breeder throughout temperate and subarctic Europe and northern Asia. It is more of a conifer specialist than the closely related Marsh Tit, which explains it breeding much further north...
Poecile montanus - Songar TitSongar TitThe Songar Tit is a passerine bird in the tit family. It is the southern counterpart of the Willow Tit P...
Poecile songarus (often included in P. montanus) - Carolina ChickadeeCarolina ChickadeeThe Carolina Chickadee, Poecile carolinensis, is a small passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. Often, it is still placed in the genus Parus with most other tits, but mtDNA cytochrome b sequence data and morphology suggest that separating Poecile more adequately expresses these birds'...
Poecile carolinensis - Black-capped ChickadeeBlack-capped ChickadeeThe Black-capped Chickadee is a small, North American songbird, a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is the state bird of both Maine and Massachusetts in the United States, and the provincial bird of New Brunswick in Canada...
Poecile atricapillus - Mountain ChickadeeMountain ChickadeeThe Mountain Chickadee is a small songbird, a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. Often, it is still placed in the genus Parus with most other tits, but mtDNA cytochrome b sequence data and morphology suggest that separating Poecile more adequately expresses these birds' relationships...
Poecile gambeli - Mexican ChickadeeMexican ChickadeeThe Mexican Chickadee is a small songbird, a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is still often placed in the genus Parus with most other tits, but mtDNA cytochrome b sequence data and morphology suggest that separating Poecile more adequately expresses these birds' relationships...
Poecile sclateri - White-browed TitWhite-browed TitThe White-browed Tit is a species of bird in the tit family Paridae. It is endemic to the mountain forests of southwestern China ....
Poecile superciliosus - Père David's Tit Poecile davidi
- Siberian TitSiberian TitThe Siberian Tit or Gray-headed Chickadee is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread resident breeder throughout subarctic Scandinavia and northern Asia, and also into North America in Alaska and the far northwest of Canada. It is a conifer specialist...
or Gray-headed Chickadee Poecile cinctus - Boreal ChickadeeBoreal ChickadeeThe Boreal Chickadee is a small passerine bird in the tit family Paridae.-Description:...
Poecile hudsonicus - Chestnut-backed ChickadeeChestnut-backed ChickadeeThe Chestnut-backed Chickadee is a small passerine bird in the tit family, Paridae....
Poecile rufescens
- Genus PeriparusPeriparusPeriparus is a genus of birds in the tit family that, as defined here, consists of the following species:*Rufous-naped Tit, Black-breasted Tit or Dark-grey Tit, Periparus rufonuchalis*Rufous-vented Tit, Periparus rubidiventris...
—formerly included in Parus- Black-breasted Tit or Rufous-naped Tit Periparus rufonuchalis
- Rufous-vented TitRufous-vented TitThe Rufous-vented Tit is an Asian songbird species in the tit and chickadee family . Some of its subspecies were formerly assigned to its western relative the Rufous-naped Tit , or these two were considered entirely conspecific...
Periparus rubidiventris - Spot-winged Tit or Black-crested Tit Periparus melanolophus
- Coal TitCoal TitThe Coal Tit, Periparus ater, is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread and common resident breeder throughout temperate to subtropical Eurasia and northern Africa. The Spot-winged Tit The Coal Tit, Periparus ater, is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a...
Periparus ater—possibly paraphyletic - Yellow-bellied TitYellow-bellied TitThe Yellow-bellied Tit is a species of bird in the Paridae family.It is endemic to China. Its natural habitats are temperate forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:...
Periparus venustulus—sometimes separated in Pardaliparus - Elegant TitElegant TitThe Elegant Tit is a species of bird in the tit family Paridae. The species was formerly included in the much larger genus Parus, and some authorities have suggested that along with the closely related Palawan Tit and Yellow-bellied Tit it should be placed in a new genus, Pardaliparus...
Periparus elegans—probably paraphyletic; sometimes separated in Pardaliparus - Palawan TitPalawan TitThe Palawan Tit is a species of bird in the tit family Paridae.It is endemic to Palawan and the smaller islands of Calauit and Balabac in the Philippines. Within its range it is found in lowland forest habitats, including secondary forests, forest edge, swamps as well as submontane forest. It...
Periparus amabilis—sometimes separated in Pardaliparus
- Genus LophophanesLophophanesLophophanes is a genus of birds in the Paridae family.It contains the following species:* Crested Tit * Grey-crested Tit -References:...
—formerly included in Parus- Crested TitCrested TitThe Crested Tit, Lophophanes cristatus , is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread and common resident breeder in coniferous forests throughout central and northern Europe and in deciduous woodland in France and the Iberian peninsula...
- Crested Tit
- Grey-crested TitGrey-crested TitThe Grey-crested Tit is a species of bird in the Paridae family.It is found in Bhutan, China, Pakistan, India, Burma, and Nepal. Its natural habitats are temperate forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests....
Lophophanes dichrous
- Genus BaeolophusBaeolophusBaeolophus is a genus of bird, commonly known as titmice in the Paridae family, all of which are native to North America. In the past, most authorities retained Baeolophus as a subgenus within the genus Parus, but treatment as a distinct genus, initiated by the American Ornithologists Union, is...
—formerly included in Parus- Bridled TitmouseBridled TitmouseThe Bridled Titmouse, Baeolophus wollweberi, is a small songbird, a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae.These birds have grey upperparts and white underparts with a white face with black striping, a grey crest, a black throat, and a short stout bill....
Baeolophus wollweberi - Oak TitmouseOak TitmouseThe Oak Titmouse, Baeolophus inornatus, is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. The American Ornithologists' Union split the Plain Titmouse into the Oak Titmouse and the Juniper Titmouse in 1996, due to distinct differences in song, preferred habitat, and genetic makeup.The Oak Titmouse is a...
Baeolophus inornatus - Juniper TitmouseJuniper TitmouseThe Juniper Titmouse, Baeolophus ridgwayi, is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. The American Ornithologists' Union split the Plain Titmouse into the Oak Titmouse and the Juniper Titmouse in 1996, due to distinct differences in song, preferred habitat, and genetic makeup.The Juniper...
Baeolophus ridgwayi - Tufted TitmouseTufted TitmouseThe Tufted Titmouse, Baeolophus bicolor, is a small songbird from North America, a species in the tit and chickadee family . The Black-crested Titmouse, found from central and southern Texas southwards, was included as a subspecies but is now considered a separate species B...
Baeolophus bicolor - Black-crested TitmouseBlack-crested TitmouseThe Black-crested Titmouse, Baeolophus atricristatus , is a small songbird, a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. Once considered a subspecies of the Tufted Titmouse , it is now recognized as a separate species. It is native to southern Texas, Oklahoma, and east-central Mexico...
Baeolophus atricristatus
- Bridled Titmouse
- Genus ParusParusParus is a genus of Old World birds in the tit family. As defined here, it contains the following species:* Genus Parus** White-shouldered Tit Parus guineensis, sometimes separated in Melaniparus...
- White-shouldered TitWhite-shouldered TitThe White-shouldered Black Tit , also known as the White-shouldered Tit, is a passerine bird in the tit family. It breeds in a belt across Africa from Senegal in the west to Kenya and Ethiopia in the east...
Parus guineensis—sometimes separated in MelaniparusMelaniparusMelaniparus is a genus of birds in the tit family that is recognized by some authorities, such as Clements . Here, following Gill et al. , it is considered part of the genus Parus... - White-winged Black TitWhite-winged Black TitThe White-winged Black Tit Parus leucomelas, also known as the White-winged Tit, is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is found in central Africa, from Angola in the west to Ethiopia in the east....
Parus leucomelas—sometimes separated in Melaniparus - Southern Black Tit Parus niger—sometimes separated in Melaniparus
- Carp's TitCarp's TitThe Carp's Tit or Carp's Black Tit is a species of bird in the family Paridae. Some authors consider it a subspecies of the Black Tit. It is found in Angola and Namibia....
Parus carpi—sometimes separated in Melaniparus - White-bellied TitWhite-bellied TitThe White-bellied Tit is a species of bird in the Paridae family.It is found in Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda....
Parus albiventris—sometimes separated in Melaniparus - White-backed TitWhite-backed TitThe White-backed Black Tit , also known as the White-backed Tit, is a species of bird in the Paridae family. It is found in Eritrea and Ethiopia. Its natural habitat is boreal forests.-References:...
Parus leuconotus—sometimes separated in Melaniparus - Dusky TitDusky TitThe Dusky Tit is a species of bird in the tit family Paridae.It is found in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Sudan, and Uganda.Its natural habitat is...
Parus funereus—sometimes separated in Melaniparus - Rufous-bellied TitRufous-bellied TitThe Rufous-bellied Tit is a species of bird in the tit family.It is found in Africa from the Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo and northern Namibia east to Tanzania and northern Mozambique....
Parus rufiventris—sometimes separated in Melaniparus - Cinnamon-breasted Tit Parus pallidiventris—sometimes separated in Melaniparus
- Red-throated TitRed-throated TitThe Red-throated Tit is a species of bird in the Paridae family.It is found in Kenya and Tanzania.Its natural habitat is dry savanna.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 26 July 2007....
Parus fringillinus—sometimes separated in Melaniparus - Stripe-breasted TitStripe-breasted TitThe Stripe-breasted Tit is a species of bird in the Paridae family.It is found in Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda.Its natural habitats are boreal forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes....
Parus fasciiventer—sometimes separated in Melaniparus - Somali TitSomali TitThe Somali Tit , also known as the Acacia Tit, is a species of bird in the Paridae family.It is found in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania, and Uganda....
or Acacia Tit Parus thruppi—sometimes separated in Melaniparus - Miombo TitMiombo TitThe Miombo Tit is a species of bird in the Paridae family.It is found in Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests....
Parus griseiventris—sometimes separated in Melaniparus - Ashy TitAshy TitThe Ashy Tit is a species of bird in the Paridae family.It is found in Angola, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and dry savanna.-References:...
Parus cinerascens—sometimes separated in Melaniparus - Southern Grey Tit Parus afer—sometimes separated in Melaniparus
- Great TitGreat TitThe Great Tit is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread and common species throughout Europe, the Middle East, Central and Northern Asia, and parts of North Africa in any sort of woodland. It is generally resident, and most Great Tits do not migrate except in extremely...
Parus major - Japanese TitJapanese TitJapanese Tit , also known as Oriental Tit, is a passerine bird which replaces the similar Great Tit in Japan and the Russian Far East beyond the Amur River, including the Kuril Islands...
Parus minor (often included in P. major) - Turkestan Tit Parus bokharensis
- Green-backed TitGreen-backed TitThe Green-backed Tit is a species of bird in the Paridae family.It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Burma, Nepal, Pakistan, Taiwan, and Vietnam....
Parus monticolus - White-winged TitWhite-winged TitThe White-winged Tit sometimes called the White-naped Tit is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is endemic to India where it is found in dry thorn scrub forest in two disjunct populations, in western India and southern India...
Parus nuchalis - Black-lored TitBlack-lored TitThe 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...
Parus xanthogenys—sometimes separated in Macholophus - Yellow-cheeked TitYellow-cheeked TitThe Yellow-cheeked Tit is a species of bird in the Paridae family.It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Hong Kong, India, Laos, Burma, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam....
Parus spilonotus - Yellow TitYellow TitThe Yellow Tit is a species of bird in the Paridae family.It is endemic to central Taiwan.Its natural habitat is montane temperate forest....
Parus holsti—sometimes separated in Macholophus - White-fronted TitWhite-fronted TitThe White-fronted Tit is a species of bird in the Paridae family.It is endemic to the Philippines.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:...
Parus semilarvatus—sometimes separated in SittiparusSittiparusSittiparus is a genus of birds in the tit family that is recognized by some authorities, such as the Handbook of the Birds of the Worlds Internet Bird Collection . It is often considered part of the genus Poecile, which many authorities in turn consider to be a subgenus of Parus...
- White-shouldered Tit
- Genus Pseudopodoces
- Hume's Ground TitHume's Ground TitThe Tibetan Ground-tit or Hume's Ground-tit is a lark-like bird which lives to the north of the Himalayas. It is also known simply as Ground Tit or simply as Hume's Groundpecker. It was formerly thought to belong to the family Corvidae which includes the crows and jays and was called as the Hume's...
CorvidaeCorvidae is a cosmopolitan family of oscine passerine birds that contains the crows, ravens, rooks, jackdaws, jays, magpies, treepies, choughs and nutcrackers. The common English names used are corvids or the crow family , and there are over 120 species...
and placed here. - Hume's Ground Tit
- Genus CyanistesCyanistesCyanistes is a genus of tits. It is frequently subsumed into Parus. It consists of three small species found in temperate Europe and Asia and Northern AfricaThe species are:* Blue Tit, Cyanistes caeruleus* Azure Tit, Cyanistes cyanus...
—formerly included in Parus- Blue TitBlue TitThe Blue Tit is a 10.5 to 12 cm long passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread and common resident breeder throughout temperate and subarctic Europe and western Asia in deciduous or mixed woodlands...
Cyanistes caeruleus- Canarian Tit Cyanistes (caeruleus) teneriffae
- Ultramarine Tit Cyanistes (caeruleus) ultramarinus
- Azure TitAzure TitThe Azure Tit, Cyanistes cyanus , is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread and common resident breeder throughout Russia and central Asia....
Cyanistes cyanus - Yellow-breasted TitYellow-breasted TitThe Yellow-breasted Tit is a species of bird in the Paridae family. It is found in Afghanistan, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan....
Cyanistes flavipectus (often included in C. cyanus) - Varied TitVaried TitThe Varied Tit is a perching bird from the tit family, Paridae. It occurs in eastern Asia in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and locally in northeastern China and extreme southeastern Russia .- Description :It is 12–14 cm long and weighs 16–18 g. The wing length is 6.0–7.8 cm. In the nominate race P. v...
Cyanistes varius—sometimes separated in Sittiparus or Poecile
- Blue Tit
- These two monotypicMonotypicIn biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
genera are possibly less close to titmice than are the penduline tits.
- Genus Sylviparus
- Yellow-browed TitYellow-browed TitThe Yellow-browed Tit is a species of bird in the family Paridae. It is placed in the monotypic genus Sylviparus....
- Yellow-browed Tit
- Genus Melanochlora
- Sultan TitSultan TitThe Sultan Tit is a large songbird with a yellow crest, dark bill, black upperparts plumage and yellow underparts. The sexes are similar. The female has greenish black upperparts and yellowish throat...
Melanochlora sultanea
- Sultan Tit
External links
- Titmouse photos & videos on the Internet Bird Collection