Pere David's Tit
Poecile davidi
红腹山雀
Introduction
A small passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. Endemic to central China, occurring in southern Gansu, western Hubei, southern Shaanxi, and Sichuan provinces. Inhabits subalpine forests at elevations of 2,135–3,400 meters. This species is largely resident, though birds at higher altitudes descend slightly in winter to areas below 3,050 meters.
Description
A compact tit measuring 12–13 cm in length and weighing 10–12.5 g. The head is black with distinctive white cheeks. The upperparts are dark grey-brown, including the back, wings, and tail. The underparts are rusty brown, which is a key identifying feature. The species resembles the sombre tit in overall structure and coloration pattern but can be distinguished by its rusty underparts.
Distribution & Habitat
Restricted to central China in the provinces of Gansu, Hubei, Shaanxi, and Sichuan. Inhabits subalpine forest habitats at elevations of 2,135–3,400 m. The species is primarily resident throughout its range, though individuals breeding at higher elevations may move to slightly lower areas in winter, typically descending below 3,050 m.
Behavior & Ecology
Information on specific dietary preferences, breeding behavior, and vocalizations is not documented in available sources.
Conservation
No IUCN assessment or conservation status information is documented in available sources.
Culture
No cultural significance or folklore information is documented in available sources.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Taxonomy
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Paridae
- Genus
- Poecile
- eBird Code
- pedtit1
Distribution
mountains of western China (Hubei to Shaanxi, Gansu, and Sichuan)
Data Sources
Species description from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Taxonomy data from AviList 2025.