Willow TitPoecile montanus is a small, bulky tit well-known for its confusing resemblance to Marsh TitP. palustris; in China further confusion arises by similarity of vocalizations between the two species; in Western Europe, by contrast, Willow and Marsh Tit more easily separable by voice. Also very similar to Sichuan TitP. weigoldicus and Black-bibbed TitP. hypermelaenus. Range spans Eurasia, from Great Britain to Japan. China has four of world’s 14 subspecies, representing two of four main species groups. From salicarius group, baicalensis in northern Xinjiang and northeast China as far south as Liaoning; and from the Songar group, songarus is in the Tianshan in Xinjiang, affinis from Ningxia west to northeastern Qinghai, and stoetzneri in southeastern Inner Mongolia, Hebei, Shanxi, and Henan. In forests, both broadleaved and coniferous, to 1800 m (5,910 ft.) in Jilin (baicalensis), 2700 m (8,860 ft.) in Xinjiang (songarus). P. m. baicalensis has similar northeast China range as Marsh TitP. palustris brevirostris. ID & COMPARISON By far the best morphological trait separating baicalensis and brevirostris (and indeed any races of Willow and Marsh Tit) is the whitish spot on the proximal area of the upper mandible; the spot is almost always present on Marsh Tit and almost never present on Willow Tit. Other less reliable morphological elements are structure—more elongated in brevirostris (reminiscent of Japanese TitParus minor), owing in part to the longer tail of brevirostris as well as to its relatively smaller head; baicalensis can appear stockier, even no-necked. Poecile montanus baicalensis is also slightly smaller than brevirostris, and the tail of baicalensis is round-tipped, not square-tipped, as in brevirostris. The black crown and nape of baicalensis may be faintly glossy, but brevirostris glossier, and black bib of baicalensis can be larger and less well-defined than the smaller, neater bib of brevirostris. Both baicalensis and brevirostris have pale upperparts, but baicalensis is brownish-grey, brevirostris greyish-brown. Wings of baicalensis greyish-black, with pale fringes to secondaries forming wing panel. P. p. brevirostris also has wing panel, making this criterion of separation problematic; but wing panel on baicalensis is slightly more prominent. Cheek and underparts of baicalensis tend creamy-white, with pinkish-grey wash on flanks; underparts of brevirostris tend toward dirty white, with flanks washed grey. Birds from Songar group are darker than baicalensis, with greyish-brown upperparts and wings (lacking a wing panel); a dull, brownish-black cap; a more extensive bib; and grey-brown underparts washed cinnamon on the flanks. BARE PARTS Bill black; feet grey. VOICE Rich repertoire of calls and songs. Nasal call: dzee. — Craig Brelsford
THE TITS AND CHICKADEES OF CHINA
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Xuanzhong Temple in Shanxi is the best-known place in the world to view Brown Eared PheasantCrossoptilon mantchuricum. A recent visit by British birder Mark Havenhand (see comment below) stimulated me to update my report about my trip to Xuanzhong. Have you been to Xuanzhong? Help birders by leaving a comment below. — Craig Brelsford
I went to Xuanzhong Temple in December and January to photograph Brown Eared PheasantCrossoptilon mantchuricum.
The temple in central Shanxi, China sits in a gorge at an elevation of 1000 m (3,280 ft.). The hills are covered with trees that the locals call baishu (cypress). The setting is picturesque.
The air was bitterly cold; as low as -20°C (-4°F). Bright sunshine made the days cheerful. The temple flock of Brown Eared Pheasant appeared every day.
Elaine Du and I caught an 8 a.m. flight from Hongqiao Airport in Shanghai to Taiyuan, capital of Shanxi. From Taiyuan Airport, we drove our rental car west about an hour through Jiaocheng to Xuanzhong Temple (37.563877, 112.078460).
In the following days I noted other taxa representative of north-central China: Chinese NuthatchSitta villosa villosa, Eurasian NuthatchS. europaea sinensis, Songar TitPoecile montanus stoetzneri, Coal TitPeriparus ater pekinensis, and Beijing BabblerRhopophilus pekinensis.
Many birders balk at ticking semi-wild birds, but if you want an easy tick of Brown Eared Pheasant, then Xuanzhong Temple is the place to go. Note that both Mark Havenhand and I had wild Brown Eared Pheasant far from the temple on the road between Xuanzhong and Jiaocheng.
MAP AND PHOTOS
BIBLIOGRAPHY
BirdLife International 2016. Crossoptilon mantchuricum. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22679299A92809690. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22679299A92809690.en. (Accessed: 13 Sept. 2023)
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