Rufous-vented Tit Periparus rubidiventris Scientific name definitions

12–13 cm. 7–13·1 g. Small to medium-sized, compact tit with black cap and pointed crest , rufous underparts. Male nominate race has forehead to crown and crest black or slightly glossed bluish, small nuchal patch white with faint rufous tinge; cheek and ear-coverts whitish; upperparts dark grey, lightly tinged olive, except for more buffish uppertail-coverts; tail similar to back, all rectrices finely fringed bluish-grey; upper­wing-coverts dark grey, fringed bluish-grey, flight-feathers blackish-grey, finely fringed bluish-grey, palest on inner primaries; chin and throat (including side of throat) to upper breast black, rest of underparts light rufous (deeper on belly) or rufous-buff, except for greyish lower breast side and flanks; in worn plumage, crown duller, upperparts darker and underparts duller; iris blackish-brown to reddish-brown; bill black; legs lead-blue to blue-grey. Differs from P. rufonuchalis mainly in smaller size, less extensive black on breast, and rufous belly to undertail-coverts; from P. melanolophus in having darker coloration, rufous underparts, no white tips on wing-coverts. Female is very like male, but on average slightly paler on crown and duller on chin to upper breast. Juvenile is similar to adult, but crown and blunt-tipped crest duller, nape patch dull whitish, upperparts washed buffish, cheeks washed buffish-yellow, chin to breast smudged dull brownish-black and contrasting very little with rest of dull grey underparts, undertail-coverts dull buff. Racial variation well marked: beavani has nuchal spot off-white or buffish, cheeks washed buffish, upperparts more heavily tinged bluish-grey (not olive), grey lower breast becoming ­greyish-buff on belly and flanks, undertail-coverts deep cinnamon, juvenile darker above than nominate and with yellowish cheeks and ear-coverts, adults in N of range (NE Qinghai) slightly paler on mantle and uppertail-coverts and paler rufous on belly; saramatii has upperparts washed buffish-olive, richest buff on rump, underparts dull olive-grey.

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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.

Forests, mostly deciduous, principally oak (Quercus), and mixed broadleaf forest and woodland, to mixed forests of pine (Pinus), hemlock (Tsuga), cypresses (Cupressus, Chamaecyparis), rhododendron (Rhododendron), birch (Betula), fir (Abies), juniper (Juniperus) and dwarf willow (Salix); breeds in rhododendron forest in NE India (Nagaland). Also visits high-altitude rhododendron and treeless scrub. Breeds at 3000–4100 m in W Himalayas, 2550–4250 m (possibly regularly to 4575 m) in Nepal, 2745–4270 m in E Himalayas, from 2500 m to tree-line in China, and at 2745–3660 m in N Myanmar. In non-breeding season, also temperate oak forests at lower elevations, down to c. 2400 m in W Himalayas, to c. 2100 in Nepal and slightly higher in E Himalayas, at 2800–3200 in Bhutan, but many remain at high levels throughout winter, e.g. recorded at 4270 m in Feb in Nepal and at 2440–3050 in NE Qinghai (China).

Diet poorly known; presumably includes small invertebrates and larvae, and some seeds. Usually in pairs or in groups of up to 20, including during breeding season; also in mixed-species foraging flocks (but rarely associates with other parids) in non-breeding season. Forages mostly in canopy and upper levels of forest trees , but also descends to lower levels and undergrowth.

Calls include thin high-pitched “seet” or “seep” and clearer or more sibilant “pseet”, “pee” or “piu” and “psit”, together with softer “pwit” or “whit”, also sharp “chip”, “chit” or “tip”, all of which may be given in longer combined series, e.g. “seep-seep, seep-seep sip-ti, pseet-seep, tip-pee, tip-piu-sweep, tip-piu-chip”, or may vary combinations with stuttering “ch-ch-ch-ch” series or longer variation of “chip-sweep” notes; alarm includes scolding “chit-it-it-it…” and rapid “tsit-tsit-tsit-tsit, tsweep”, also “whid-ip” or “whid-id-ip”. Song mid-Mar to mid-Jun, varies geographically, in W of range (nominate race) a rattling series of up to 30 “chi-chi-chi” or “chip-chip-chip-chip” or “sfit-chut-chut” notes, with rapid delivery of up to 10 notes per second; in E combines the rattle with whistled notes at varying pitches, either pure or downslurred, e.g. “tu-toodle-toodle-toodle-toodle-ut” and ringing “seet-cha-weet”, also slower, musical trilling “schip-it, schip-it, schip-it”, repeated frequently.

Not globally threatened. Generally common in Himalayas and in SE Tibet, although less numerous to uncommon in W Himalayas; common in C China and locally common in N Myanmar. Situation in Kashmir and NW India unclear, but species is apparently a very scarce breeder there.