Pere David’s Tit Poecile davidi is a Chinese endemic. In high country bordering Red Basin in Sichuan, Daba Mountains in west Hubei, Qin Mountains in south Shaanxi, Min Mountains in southern Gansu and northern Sichuan, then further south in Sichuan along eastern edge of Tibetan Plateau to Mt. Emei and Mt. Wawu and Meigu. HABITAT Mixed subalpine forests, from 2100–3400 m (6,890–11,160 ft.). Locally common, but declining owing to deforestation. ID & COMPARISON Black cap and bib and white cheeks. Upperparts grey-brown, with light grey fringes to flight feathers; tail also grey-brown with white sides. Bright cinnamon underparts and nuchal collar unique among bibbed tits; Sichuan Tit P. weigoldicus, Willow Tit P. montanus (Songar group), and White-browed Tit P. superciliosus have duller underparts tending more toward pink. BARE PARTS Bill, feet black. VOICE High-pitched, low, and sibilant chatter typical of genus. — Craig Brelsford
THE TITS AND CHICKADEES OF CHINA
shanghaibirding.com covers every species in the family Paridae in China. Click any link:
Fire-capped Tit Cephalopyrus flammiceps
Yellow-browed Tit Sylviparus modestus
Sultan Tit Melanochlora sultanea
Rufous-naped Tit Periparus rufonuchalis
Rufous-vented Tit P. rubidiventris
Coal Tit P. ater
Yellow-bellied Tit Pardaliparus venustulus
Grey Crested Tit Lophophanes dichrous
Varied Tit Sittiparus varius
White-browed Tit Poecile superciliosus
Pere David’s Tit P. davidi
Black-bibbed Tit P. hypermelaenus
Marsh Tit P. palustris
Sichuan Tit P. weigoldicus
Willow Tit P. montanus
Azure Tit Cyanistes cyanus
Ground Tit Pseudopodoces humilis
Great Tit Parus major
Japanese Tit P. minor
Cinereous Tit P. cinereus
Green-backed Tit P. monticolus
Himalayan Black-lored Tit Machlolophus xanthogenys
Yellow-cheeked Tit M. spilonotus
See also these Taiwan endemics:
Chestnut-bellied Tit Sittiparus castaneoventris
Yellow Tit Machlolophus holsti
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Daniel Bengtsson served as chief ornithological consultant for Craig Brelsford’s Photographic Field Guide to the Birds of China, from which this species description is drawn.