The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma/Birds/Order Passeres/Family Paridæ/Genus Lophophanes

by Edward Charles Stuart Baker

 

Genus LOPHOPHANES Kaup, 1829.

This genus is very similar to Parus, but can be distinguished by the shape of its tail which is square or slightly forked. Our Indian species are crested but others are not and even in the same species the crest may be absent, moderate or well developed as in Lopliophanes ater ater which has no crest, and in L. a. æmodius which has a long one.

Key to Species.

A.

With a double row of spots on the wing-coverts.

a.

Abdomen iron-grey ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

L. melanulophus, p. 83.

b.

Abdomen ferruginous ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

L. ater æmodius, p. 84.

B.

With no spots on wing-coverts.

c.

Chin and throat black or blackish.

a'.

Breast and abdomen ferruginous ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

L. rubidiventris, p. 84.

b'.

Breast black ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

L. rufonuchalis, p. 83.

d.

Chin and throat fulvous grey ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

L. dichrous, p. 86.

(63) Lophophanes melanolophus.

The Crested Black-Tit.

Parus melanolophus Vigors, P. Z. S., i, p. 23 (1831) (Himalayas).

Lophophanes melanolophus. Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 57.

Vernacular names. None recorded.

Description. Forehead, crown, crest, hind neck, lores, chin, throat and crest deep black; a large patch on the nape white; the ear-coverts extending down the sides of the neck, the cbeeks and under the eye white; upper plumage iron-grey, the exposed parts of the wing and tail paler; the middle and lower series of the wing-coverts, the inner and some of the outer secondaries tipped with white, the tips of the coverts more or less tinged with rufous; lower plumage from the breast downwards iron-grey; the under wing-coverts, axillaries and a portion of the flanks chestnut; under tail-coverts nearly all chestnut.

Colours of soft parts. Bill black; legs, feet and claws dark bluish grey; iris brown (Davison).

Measurements. Length about 110 mm.; wing 60 to 63 mm.; tail about 37 to 38 mm.; tarsus about 16 mm.; culmen about 6 mm.

The young have the head brown; the upper plumage greyish-brown; the wing spots very rufous; the chin, throat, and crest brown; the remainder of the lower plumage fulvous-brown with the axillaries pale chestnut.

Distribution. The Himalayas from Afghanistan to Garhwal, between 6,000 and 12,000 feet.

Nidification. Breeds at all heights from the end of March to the middle of June, most eggs being laid in May. The nest may be placed in any convenient hole, in tree, wall, bank or rock. It has generally a substantial basis of moss, sometimes several inches thick, over which is placed a mass of fur, hair or wool. The eggs number from four to ten and are white with spots of bright brownish red. Typically they are longer ovals than are the eggs of the genus Parus and one hundred eggs average 15·7 × 11·7 mm. They are said to generally rear two broods.

Habits. This little Tit is extremely common over the Western Himalayas, being found up to 12,000 feet in summer and down to 2,000 feet in winter, perhaps even lower. It goes about in flocks of some dozen or more birds and is very partial to oak forest when not too thick. It is said by Adams often to associate with Cephalopyrus flammiceps.

(64) Lophophanes ater æmodius.
The Himalayan Cole-Tit.

Parus æmodius Hodgs., Blyth, J.A.S.B., xiii, p. 943 (1844) (Nepal).

Lophophanes æmodius. Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 58.

Vernacular names. None recorded.

Description. Forehead, crown, crest, lores, sides of the head and nape, chin, throat and sides of the neck black; cheeks, ear-coverts and a nape-patch white; upper plumage and exposed parts of wings and tail bluish ashy; the rump tinged with ferruginous; the median and greater coverts tipped with white, forming two wing-bars; the inner and a few of the outer secondaries minutely tipped with white; lower plumage, axillaries and under wing-coverts ferruginous.

Colours of soft parts. Iris dark brown; legs leaden grey; bill black (Blanford).

Measurements. Total length about 105 mm., wing 59 to 61 mm.; tail about 40 mm.; tarsus about 17 mm.; culmen about 6 mm.

Distribution. Nepal and Sikkim. It extends into the South of Tibet as I have had a skin sent me of a bird caught on the nest in the Chambi Valley.

Nidification. A bird sent me with some eggs was caught on its nest in a hole of an oak-tree at between 10,000 and 11,000 feet elevation. The nest was all of rat fur, a well matted pad fitting into the bottom of the hollow. The eggs are indistinguishable from those of the European Cole-Tit and measure about 17·0 × 12·9 mm. The nest was taken on the 13th June.

Habits. This is a bird of high elevation from 6,000 feet upwards, ascending as high as 12,000 feet at least.

(65) Lophophanes rubidiventris.
The Rufous-bellied Crested Tit.

Parus rubidiventris Blyth, J.A.S.B., xvi, p. 445 (1847) (Nepal).

Lophophanes rubidiventris. Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 58.

Vernacular names. None recorded.

Description. Cheeks, ear-covers, sides of the neck and a large nuchal spot white, remainder of bead and neck dark brown or blackish, but more the deep black of melanolophus; upper plumage olive-brown; the wings and tail brown, with bluish-ashy edges and the upper tail-coverts tipped with fulvous; lower plumage and under wing- coverts ferruginous.

Colours of soft parts. Iris dark brown; bill black; legs and feet plumbeous-brown.

Measurements. Total length about 115 mm.; wing 60 to 63 mm.; tail about 42 to 43 mm.; tarsus about 18 mm.; culmen about 8 mm.

Distribution. Nepal and "N.W. Himalayas." The latter locality is given for some specimens in the Pinwill Collection, and may refer to Kumaon.

Nidification and Habits. Nothing recorded.

 

Lophophanes rufonuchalis.

Key to Subspecies.

A. Upper and lower breast black and abdomen ashy olive	L. rufonuchalis rufonuchalis, p. 85.
B. Upper breast black; lower breast and abdomen ashy olive	L. r. beavani, p. 86.

 

(66) Lophophanes rufonuchalis rufonuchalis.

The Simla Black-Tit.

Parus rufonuchalis Blyth, J.A.S.B., xviii, p. 810 (1849) (Simla).

Lophophanes rufonuchalis. Blanf. & Oates, i. p. 58.

Vernacular names. None recorded.

Description. Ear-coverts, under the eye and a stripe down the neck white; remainder of bead and neck, breast and a broad band down the abdomen black; nuchal spot white, tinged with ferruginous next the back; upper plumage olive-green; lower abdomen and sides of the body ashy-olive; under tail-coverts and axillaries chestnut; under wing-coverts pale fulvous.

Colours of soft parts. Iris dark brown; legs, feet and bill black.

Measurements. Length about 130 mm.; wing 73 to 77 mm.; tail about 55 mm.; tarsus nearly 20 mm.; culmen about 10 mm.

The young have the black replaced with brown and the chestnut with pale rufous.

Distribution. Turkestan and Afghanistan and N.W. Himalayas to Garhwal.

Nidification. Mr. L. L. Whymper is the only collector who has ever found this bird's nest. He writes:— "I found this bird fairly common at 10,000 feet and upwards in the Bhaghirattie Valley, where Brooks got a nest with young and I was lucky enough to find six nests. These were all in the ground, either under stones or in actual holes such as rat-holes, and all were found between the 8th and 22nd of May.

"Speaking generally it is impossible to find them except when the birds are building, for they are in the most unlikely places that show no sign whatever of a nest. Four eggs seem to form the full clutch. The nest is the ordinary pad of wool and hair with a little moss below and around.

"The male has an aggravating habit of carrying in wool after the eggs have been laid."

Three eggs given me by Mr. Whymper measure about 18·0 × 13·0 mm.

Habits. Similar to those of the Crested Hill-Tit, with which it sometimes consorts.

(67) Lophophanes rufonuchalis beavani.
The Sikkim Black-Tit.

Lophophanes beavani Blyth, Jerd. B. I., ii, p. 270 (1863) (Mt. Teringloo, Sikkim); Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 59.

Vernacular names. Liho Tasso (Lepcha).

Description. The colour of the back is blue-grey, instead of greenish, the light parts on the face are yellowish or yellow; below a greenish grey with no traces of a black band.

Colours of soft parts and measurements much the same as in the last.

Distribution. Nepal, Sikkim, Tibet and Western China.

Nidification. Nothing recorded. Two eggs sent by Mr. St. J. Hickley were taken at about 10,000 feet elevation from a hole in the roots of a small tree. The nest was a pad of hair and wool, and the eggs only differ from those of the last in being rather larger, measuring about 18·5 × 13·7 mm.

Habits. This is a bird of great elevations, and has so far not been recorded much below 8000 feet.

The Sikkim Black-Tit does not seem to intergrade anywhere with the Simla Black-Tit, but until more material is available from the intervening country it appears better to treat them as geographical races of the same bird.

 

Lophophanes dicrous.

Key to Subspecies.

A. Paler above, more rufescent below	L. d. dichrous, p. 87.
B. Darker above, more buff below	L. d. wellsi, p. 87.

(68) Lophophanes dichrous dichrous.

The Brown Crested Tit.

Parus dichrous Hodgs., Blyth, J. A. S. B., xiii, p. 493 (1844) (Nepal).

Lophophanes dichrous. Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 59.

Vernacular names. None recorded.

Description. Upper plumage brownisli grey; the wiug-feathers very narrowly edged with hoary grey; forehead and sides of the head fulvous mottled with brown; a half collar round the hind-neck, interrupted at the nape, cream-colour; chin and throat fulvous grey; lower plumage ochraceous.

Colour of soft parts. Bill dusky bluish; feet plumbeous; iris brick-red (Jerdon).

Measurements. Length about 115 mm.; wing about 65 to 71 mm.; tail about 55 mm.; tarsus about 18 mm.; culmen about 11 mm.

Distribution. Himalayas; South Kashmir, Garhwal, Nepal and Sikkim.

Nidification. The nest of this Tit was taken by Mr. B. B. Osraaston in the Tons Valley first with the young in 1894 and finally with eggs in 1899. The nests are described as pads of moss with a lining of fur placed in small holes in pear and other trees. They were taken at an elevation between 8,000 and 10,000 feet in April and May. The eggs are described as "white, spotted and blotched fairly thickly all over with chestnut markings." They measured ·67 × ·51 in. (=17·0 × 13·0 mm.).

The nest with eggs was placed in a natural hole in a rotten branch of a pear-tree beside the Chakrata-Simla road and in 1917 a second nest with five eggs was taken near Chakrata similar to the other but lined with hair. This too contained five eggs measuring ·69 × ·50 in. (= 20·0 × 12·7 mm.).

Habits. Those of the genus.

 

(69) Lophophanes dichrous wellsi.

The Yunnan Brown Crested Tit.

Lophophanes dichrous wellsi Stuart Baker, Bull. B. O. C, xxxviii, p. 8 (1917) (W. Yuunan, Yaugtse big bend).

Vernacular names. None recorded.

Description. This form differs from both L. d. dichrous and L. d. dichroides in being much darker above and paler below, more buff than rufous. The head and back are practically coucolorous and do not contrast, a distinctive feature in the latter race.

Dimensions and colours of soft parts as in L. d. dichrous.

Distribution. Yunnan and N. Shan States.

Nidification and Habits. Nothing recorded.