Sombre Tit Poecile lugubris Scientific name definitions

12·4–15 cm; 15–19 g. Large, large-billed , grey-brown tit with blackish cap  and bib. Male nominate race  has upper lores and crown to nape blackish brown to dark sooty brown, lower lores, cheeks  and ear-coverts white, becoming buffish on neck-sides; upperparts mostly dull ash-brown, slightly greyer on uppertail-coverts; tail grey-brown, tinged olive-grey, fine whitish fringes on outermost feathers; upperwing-coverts as upperparts, but greater coverts fringed buffish or paler, alula dark grey to blackish; flight-feathers dark grey, narrowly fringed pale greyish buff, tertials similar but more broadly fringed greyish to buffish white; chin, lower cheeks and throat sooty brown, forming bib (with lower border poorly defined); underparts whitish, washed buffish on breast and flanks (duller off-white and greyish on flanks when worn); plumage greyer above and whiter below in E of range (“splendens“); iris brown to dark brown; bill dark grey to blackish horn, with paler or greyish cutting edges of maxilla; legs dark grey to bluish slate. Differs from P. palustris mainly in larger size, more robust bill, dull blackish-brown (not glossy black) cap, greyer-tinged brown upperparts, and more black on bib and throat. Female is very like male, but crown varies from blackish brown (as male) to dark chocolate-brown, bib browner, underparts duller or washed greyer. Juvenile is similar to female, but crown brown or dark grey-brown (as upperparts), whitish cheeks washed buffish or brownish, greater coverts prominently tipped whitish, bib smaller and finely tipped greyish buff, underparts washed buffish or dingy, to off-white on undertail. Racial variation moderate, but also considerable individual variation: lugens is smaller than nominate, male has grey-tinged dark sooty-brown crown and bib, female paler or greyer brown; anatoliae is as nominate, but crown  and bib  black (male) or blackish to sooty brown (female) and clearly defined at rear, mantle and scapulars dark olive-brown, underparts whiter, flanks washed cinnamon in fresh plumage; dubius has slightly longer and more slender bill than other races, crown and bib velvety black (or tinged brown on female), upperparts paler or sandy grey, underparts whitish with creamy wash; kirmanensis is poorly defined, very similar to previous but upperparts slightly darker and browner.

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Inhabits dry maquis areas of scattered trees and bushes, including olive (Olea) groves, wild plum (Prunus) orchards and other fruit trees, e.g. wild pear (Pyrus amygdaliformis) and vineyards, also parkland areas of open oak (Quercus) forests including scrub oak, beech (Fagus), willows (Salix) and poplars (Populus); also conifers, particularly spruce (Picea) and cedars (Cedrus), especially in areas of rocky limestone hills. From sea-level around Mediterranean, up to 2200 m in Turkey; in N Israel breeds at 750–1700 m; in Azerbaijan not found below c. 550 m and in Armenia not below 450 m.

Resident, but some evidence of altitudinal movements in Zagros Mts (Iran) and N Israel; some apparent immigration from Lebanon and Syria into N Israel, where commoner in winter down to 600 m on Mt Hermon and Golan Heights; also wanders in autumn and winter to otherwise unoccupied areas of C Turkey. Vagrant in N Italy and Kuwait.

Small invertebrates and larvae, including beetles (Coleoptera), grasshoppers (Orthoptera), bugs (Hemiptera), flies (Diptera), bees and wasps (Hymenoptera), ants (Formicidae), damselflies (Odonata), lacewings (Neuroptera), moths (Lepidoptera), spiders (Araneae), woodlice (Isopoda) and snails (Gastropoda); also seeds, mainly of Leguminosae; in captivity, frequently stores food. Usually in pairs in breeding season; often in small groups in autumn and winter, sometimes with mixed-species flocks (typically first-winter birds), occasionally solitary in winter. Shy, unobtrusive. Forages in lower branches of trees and shrubs, occasionally briefly on ground  , but usually returns to bush or branches of tree with food items; in S Caucasus forages mainly in canopy of deciduous trees. Active but generally less acrobatic or agile than other tits. Climbs tree trunks like a nuthatch (Sittidae), and occasionally pursues insects in flight in manner of flycatcher (Muscicapidae). Food items held in foot and hammered open with bill, also seeds wedged in bark before being opened; seedheads, including those of herbs, torn open in manner of a finch (Fringillidae).

Call notes include thin or nasal “si” or “zee” as contact, or extended into longer and slightly declining cadence of “si-si-si-si-si-si-si”, or may conclude with short chattering “trrrr”; harsher “chit” also given in bursts of sharper chattering notes, “chit-cht-cht-cht-cht-cht”, and may be introduced by thin “si”; other combinations of calls include “tsi-tsi-tsi-zee”, “tsi-tsi-tsi-tsi-tsi-tsi-tsi-trerr”, or “sirrah”, “sit-sit-sirrah” and “sisi…cherrrrrrh”; “sip” or “snipp” in flight; alarm call a loud, prolonged and hurried chattering “trrrrrrrr” or “chrrrrrt” like that of sparrow (Passer), sometimes preceded by slower insect-like “si si” or “zi zi terrrr” or “tiz-ze-ze-ze-ze-ze” (which may be given in isolation from chattering note); during courtship, begging call of female “che-ka-di che-ka-di-tsi-tsi”, and soft “tsi-tsi-tsi” by both birds during mating; female on nest gives threatening snake-like hissing. Song, from top of tall tree, given with varying pitch or emphasis usually for short period prior to egg-laying, a series of “tea-cher”-like phrases, recalling songs of both Parus major and Periparus ater; also, low-pitched, hard “chip-chip-chip” repeated a dozen or more times, shorter “cheeu-cheeu-cheeu” or strident or slightly gruff or buzzing “chiz-ze, chiz-ze”, or variations e.g. “tu-ch-zai, tu-ch-zai, tu-ch-zai”.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Generally uncommon or locally common. Fairly common and widespread in Greece and W Turkey (less common inland), absent from Ionian islands except Corfu, also breeds on Lesbos, Samos and Kythira; rare on Crete; in Iran, common in Zagros Mts of W & S; rare or sporadic throughout Caucasus; very scarce in Lebanon; locally common in N Israel. European breeding population 450,000–1,300,000 pairs; by far largest numbers in Bulgaria and Turkey, and these populations are believed to be stable, but numbers in Croatia (a small population numbering fewer than 1000 pairs) are declining. Has recently extended range N in Romania (into Transylvania). Reasonably common in N Iraq. Breeding densities of 9–10 pairs along 7-km stretch of sparse montane juniper (Juniperus) forest in Transcaucasia and 5–6 pairs along 4-km transect.