Black-bibbed Tit Poecile hypermelaenus Scientific name definitions

11–12 cm; 9–11·5 g. Medium-sized, glossy black-capped tit with large blackish bib. Adult has forehead, crown  (down to top of ear-coverts) and nape to uppermost mantle black, crown sometimes with short or ragged crest; lower lores, cheeks and ear-coverts white, sometimes with buffish tinge at rear of ear-coverts; upperparts, including upperwing-coverts, olive with grey-brown tinge; flight-feathers dark brown, narrowly edged brownish olive, tail grey-brown, fringed greyer, outermost rectrix with pale grey outer web; chin to sides of throat and to centre of lower throat and uppermost breast black or blackish brown; underparts whitish except greyish-olive sides of lower breast and flanks (and often extending across belly); iris dark brown or blackish brown; bill blackish, cutting edges of maxilla paler grey; legs bluish to slate-grey. Juvenile resembles adult, but has crown to nape sooty black or brownish and lacking gloss, upperparts warmer and paler or greyer, fringes of flight-feathers and tail warmer brown, cheek and ear-coverts whiter, bib partially obscured by white tips, and whiter underparts with tinges of buff on flanks and vent.

Opinions vary as to whether this taxon merits species rank or is a distinctive race of P. palustris (which see); even proponents of species rank (1 Harrap, S., and D. Quinn (1996). Tits, Nuthatches and Treecreepers. Christopher Helm, London. Close , 2 Eck, S., and J. Martens (2006). Systematic notes on Asian birds. 49. A preliminary review of the Aegithalidae, Remizidae and Paridae. Zoologsiche Mededelingen Leiden 80(5):1–63. Close ) express reservations, shared here. Nevertheless, it differs in much more extensive black bib, reaching upper breast (3); much duller underparts, extensively washed deep greyish olive-brown vs light drab or buff (2); more extensive cap, reaching farther on to mantle (1); more extensive cheek-patch at rear (ns[1]); duller, greenish-olive vs warm drab or sandy-brown upperparts (ns[1]); rather plain wings and tail, without pale fringes (ns[1]); and shorter tail (allow 1); moreover, molecular evidence supports split and suggests closer relationship to P. montanus (3 Johansson, U. S., J. Ekman, R. C. K. Bowie, P. Halvarsson, J. I. Ohlson, T. D. Price, and P. G. P. Ericson (2013). A complete multilocus species phylogeny of the tits and chickadees (Aves: Paridae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 69(3):852–860. Close , 4 Song, G., Zhang, R., Qu, Y., Wang, Z., Dong, L., Kristin, A., Alström, P., Ericson, P.G.P., Lambert, D.M., Fjeldså, J. and Lei, F. (2016). A zoogeographical boundary between the Palaearctic and Sino-Japanese realms documented by consistent north/south phylogeographical divergences in three woodland birds in eastern China. J. Biogeogr. 43(11): 2099–2112. Close ). Analysis of vocal signals needed. Monotypic.

NC & S China (S Gansu & SW Shaanxi, Sichuan and W Hubei S to N Yunnan and NW Guizhou) and N & W Myanmar.

Differs regionally. In SW China this tit is found mostly in rather dry pine (Pinus) forest, but occurs also in other conifers, and in Yunnan in open forest of regenerating pines with an evergreen shrub layer, but has been recorded in NW Yunnan in spruce (Picea), fir (Abies) and rhododendron (Rhododendron); at Batang, in W Sichuan, it occurs only in the deep Yangtze gorge, not ascending into mixed forest at higher elevations, and is recorded on the high plateau with conifers; in mountains of S Shaanxi it is found in summer in broadleaf forest in foothills, dispersing in winter to the plains. In Myanmar it occupies open broadleaf evergreen forest and pine forest, as well as forest edge and scrub. Recorded in China at 1525–2135 m in winter and spring in NW Hubei, at 2600–3960 m in Sichuan, at 2750–4270 m in Yunnan, and at 2200–2500 m (breeding recorded at 2350 m) in Guizhou; in SW Myanmar (Mt Victoria), lives in the alpine zone from 2200 m to the summit at c. 3000 m.

Inadequately known. Calls include a liquid “psit” or “stip” or “stip, si-si”; most commonly a sharp or explosive “pitchuu, pitchuu” or variations, e.g. “pssitchiu sippchiu”, or “psiup”, or slightly longer “psiup si-si”, also a thin, high-pitched “tip”, sibilant “see” often repeated several times, or “pssip”; alarm calls include chattering or scolding “chay” or harsh, nasal “char-tchar-tchar-tchar” (often preceded by “pitchuu”), and more drawn-out or chattering “chrrrrrrrr…”. Song a series of repeated, sharp monosyllabic “schip” notes or shorter “chi chi chi chi”, sometimes followed by “swi-sweet weet weet” or similar. Further investigation needed.

Limited information. Season Mar–Jun. A nest in Myanmar (Mt Victoria) was in a hollow young tree which had broken off c. 8 m above ground, upper part of cavity forming nest chamber, young almost fledged on 19 Apr; in N Myanmar (Chin Hills) fledglings being fed in Apr. In S China (Guizhou) a nest found in a wall in late May was made from rootlets and hair; it contained six eggs, white with purplish dots, dimensions c. 17·9 × 13·1 mm (5 Wu Zhikang, Lin Qiwei, Yang Jiongli, Liu Jichen, and Wu Lu (1986). [The Avifauna of Guizhou]. Guizhou People’s Publishing House, Guiyang, Guizhou, China. (In Chinese.) Close ).

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Locally fairly common; scarce or rare in Sichuan. The global population size of this relatively little-known species has not been quantified, but its numbers are believed to be stable. There is no evidence of any declines, and no significant threats to its future welfare have been identified.