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

by Edward Charles Stuart Baker

Genus PARUS Linn., 1766.

The genus Parus, of which the Great Tit of England may be considered the type, contains those Tits which are not crested and in which the tail is slightly rounded. They have a broad, black, ventral band and in this character agree with Machlolophus, which, however, possesses a long pointed crest.

The true Tits are found over a considerable portion of the world. Five species inhabit the Indian Empire, two being found over the greater part of Europe and Asia, i.e. major and palustris; two, nuchalis and monticolus, being local; and the fifth, cyanus, a very rare visitor.

In Parus the feathers of the crown are rather long, but do not form a crest; the tail is considerably shorter than the wing, and the outer feathers are shorter than the central ones by about the length of the hind claw.

Key to Species.

A.

Plumage not blue and white.

a.

Lower plumage whitish buff, or fawn, but not bright yellow.

a'.

Back and rump ashy or greenish ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

P. major, p. 73.

b'.

Back and rump black ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

P. nuchalis, p. 79.

c'.

Back and rump olive-brown ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

P. palustris, p. 81.

b.

Lower plumage bright yellow ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

P. monticolus, p. 80.

B.

Plumage all blue and white above ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

P. cyanus, p. 81.

Parus major.

The Great-Tits or Grey-Tits may be divided into two groups—the first group with green backs and yellow under parts, the second with grey backs and the under parts ranging from practically pure white to fawn or buff.

The first group, that of the true Parus major, ranges over the whole of Europe, extreme Northern Africa and Northern Asia to Japan. Southwards it extends to Palestine, Asia Minor and Northern Persia.

The second group, which we may call the Indian cinereus group, is to be found through Southern Persia and North Arabia, throughout India and in a loop working North, including Afghanistan, Syr Daria and Amu Daria in Turkestan, Tianschan and Kashmir. East it is found through Burma and Southern China and the countries South of them. Between these two distinct groups we have more or less intermediate forms found in Tibet, Northern Shan States, and Central Asia.

Within Indian limits we have no form approaching the European Parus major major group, all our geographical races belonging to the grey cinereus group.

Key to Subspecies.

A.

No green on back.

a.

Upper and lower plumage darker; tail black on inner web with grey edge, and all grey on outer web. Wing 60 to 68 mm., tail 53 to 61 mm. ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

P. m. cinereus, p. 74.

b.

Paler; upper parts a pale clear blue-grey, under parts almost white, nuchal patch distinct and nearly white. Wing 68 to 75 mm., tail 52 to 63 mm. ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

P. m. intermedius, p. 76.

c.

Upper and lower parts darker, nuchal patch greyer and inconspicuous.

a'.

Larger; wing 70 to 79 mm., tail 60 to 70 mm. ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

P. m. kaschmiriensis, p. 76.

b'.

Smaller: wing 63 to 70 mm., tail 52 to 63 mm. ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

P. m. planorum, p. 77.

d.

Upper plumage as dark as cinereus; tail black on both webs with narrow grey edges. Wing 63 to 74 mm., tail 51 to 62 mm. ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

P. m. mahrattarum, p. 77.

B.

Some green on upper plumage.

e.

Upper parts and scapulars all olive-green; wing 66 to 79 mm., tail 66 to 74 mm. ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

P. m. tibetanus, p. 78.

f.

Green confined to extreme upper back; wing 61 to 68 mm., tail 53 to 61 mm. ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

P. m. commixtus, p. 78.

(51) Parus major cinereus.

The Indian Grey Tit.

Funis cinereus Vieill., Nouv. Dict. d'Hist. Nat., xx, p316 (1818) (Java).

Parus atriceps. Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 46.

Vernacular names. Ram-gangra (Bang.).

Description. Forehead, lores, crown, nape, chin, throat, breast, a band on either side the neck connecting the nape with the breast, and a band down the middle of the abdomen, black; cheeks and ear-coverts white; the upper part of the back next the nape white; remainder of back, rump, scapulars, lower and median coverts ashy grey; winglet and greater coverts black, edged with ashy grey and the latter broadly tipped with white; quills dark brown, the earlier primaries and inner secondaries edged with white, the other quills with ashy grey; upper tail-coverts deep ashy blue; tail black, the four median pairs of feathers ashy grey on the outer webs and all but the middle two pairs tipped with white; fifth pair white, with the shaft black and a band of black on the inner web; outer pair nearly entirely white with black shafts; sides of the breast and abdomen vinaceous; under tail-coverts black in the centre, white at the sides.

Fig. 20.—Head of P. m. cinereus.

Colours of soft parts. Bill black; iris brown; legs and feet plumbeous.

Measurements. Total length about 140 mm.; wing 60 to 68 mm.; tail 53 to 61 mm.; tarsus about 15 mm.; culmen about 10 mm.

The young of this and all the allied grey forms have a tinge of yellow on the lower parts and generally a good deal of green on the upper.

Distribution. Northern India, Assam, Western Burma to Sunda Island and Java.

Nidification. Breeds throughout its range but at different times in different localities from March to June. The nest is placed in a hole of a tree, wall or, more rarely, in a bank and consists of a pad of moss, hair, wool or fur: occasionally with some vegetable cotton and feathers. Wickham reports that it took readily to nest-boxes placed low down on trunks of trees in his garden at Maymyo. The eggs, four to six in number in India, three or four only in Burma, are white or very pale pink with spots and specks of reddish brown. They average about 17.0 × 13.3 mm.

Habits. Though not gregarious in the strict sense of the term, these little birds are very sociable and may often be seen consorting in small parties in favourite feeding-haunts. They are restless, active little birds, clambering about branches and twigs in their search for insects, now hanging head downmost to reach some tempting morsel below, now standing on tip-toe to get to one above them and then once more scuttling round to catch some quickly moving ant or spider. They feed on all kinds of insects, many seeds and fruits and in times of stress practically anything that comes to hand. A meaty bone is a tempting bait to them as is a split cocoa-nut hung in a tree near their haunts. They are essentially arboreal in their habits but occasionally descend to the ground after insects. Their note is a rather shrill whistle and their flight rather feeble and dipping. They are resident birds almost wherever found, moving about to some extent according to the seasons.

(52) Parus major intermedius.

The Afghan Grey-Tit.

Parus bocharensis var. intermedius Sarudny, Bull. Soc. Imp. Nat. Moscow, (No. 3), vol. iii, p. 789 (1890) (S.W. Transcaspia).

Vernacular names. None recorded.

Description. A very pale race, the upper parts a clear blue-grey, the under parts almost pure white with very little tinge of vinaceous; the nuchal patch is white and conspicuous and the grey of the tail pale and extensive.

Colours of soft parts as in cinereus, but the legs are pale slaty grey.

Measurements. A rather large bird with a comparatively short tail. Wing 68 to 75 mm.; tail 52 to 63 mm.

Distribution. Afghanistan, Baluchistan, Cbitral, East Persia and S.W. Transcaspia.

Nidification and Habits as in cinereus; the eggs average about 17.5 × l3.6 mm. Its nest and eggs were taken by Whitehead at Kalhutty, Baluchistan, and by Harington in the Khagan Valley. Fulton found it up to 12,000 feet in Chitral, where it was very common, and took two nests from holes in Walnut-trees.

(53) Parus major kaschmiriensis.

The Kashmir Grey-Tit.

Parus major kaschmiriensis Hartert, Vög. Pal., i, p. 345 (1905) (Gilgit).

Vernacular names. None recorded.

Description. A dark bird distinguishable from all others of the dark forms by its greater size; both upper and lower parts are not as dark, however, as in cinereus, but the nuchal patch is grey and very inconspicuous.

Colours of soft parts as in cinereus.

Measurements. Wing 70 to 79 mm.; tail 60 to 70mm.

Distribution. Kashmir, Garhwal, Simla, and Hills of the North-West.

Nidification. Breeds freely in Kashmir and elsewhere, from 3,500 feet up to 9,000 feet or higher. The eggs four to six, or even seven, are more richly coloured than are those of the Indian Grey-Tit and measure about 18.5 × 13.5 mm. The breeding season is from the end of April to early June.

Habits as in the other Grey-Tits.

(54) Parus major planorum.

The Punjab Grey-Tit.

Parus major planorum Hartert, Nov. Zool., 1905, p. 499 (S. Punjab).

Vernacular names. None recorded.

Description. This bird is a small replica of the Kashmir Grey-Tit, much the same size as cinereus but decidedly paler.

Colours of soft parts as in cinereus.

Measurements. Wing 63 to 70 mm.; tail 52 to 63 mm.

Distribution. Plains of N.W. India and Punjab.

Nidification. Nothing recorded. Eggs of a clutch sent me, and said to have been taken at Lahore, average about 17.5 × 13.4 mm.

Habits as usual, but according to Hartert this is purely a plains form though there is very little material available for study in the shape of breeding specimens.

(55) Parus major mahrattarum.

The Southern Grey-Tit.

Parus major mahrattarum Hartert, Nov. Zool., 1905, p. 499 (Ceylon).

Vernacular names. None recorded.

Description. Similar to the Indian Grey-Tit or even darker, the nuchal patch hardly noticeable and the tail-feathers wholly black on both webs, with only narrow grey edges to the outer webs. The black central streak on the abdomen is generally very wide.

Measurements. Wing 63 to 74 mm.; tail 51 to 62 mm.

Distribution. The whole of Central and South India and Ceylon. It is found as far north as Northern Bombay across to Chota Nagpore and E. Bengal.

Nidification. Breeds throughout its range in the more hilly parts which are well wooded. In the northern drier countries it lays in February, March, and early April; in South India in March and April and in the higher hills in April to June, whilst in Poona Betham took eggs as late as August, possibly second broods. The eggs are more richly coloured, as a rule, than those of cinereus and the average size of 30 eggs is 17.4 × 13.6 mm.

Habits. Similar to those of cinereus. This little Titmouse is really more of a hills than a plains bird, though in the winter it wanders over a very wide extent of country. It prefers hills and broken country, more especially such as are fairly well covered with trees and forest, and it is found in the hills of Southern India practically up to their summits.

(56) Parus major tibetanus.

The Tibetan Great-Tit.

Parus major tibetanus Hartert, Vög. Pal., p. 346 (1905) (Chaksam).

Vernacular names. A'one recorded.

Description. Back decidedly green and the lower parts suffused with yellow. Its size alone at once distinguishes it from commixtus and minor, and it has more white on the tail than either of these races.

Colours of soft parts as in cinereus, but tarsi apparently paler and brighter slate-blue.

Measurements. Wing 66 to 79 mm., generally over 70; tail 66 to 74 mm.

Distribution. S.E. Tibet, Yunnan and N.E. Kauri Kachin Hills. Chumba Valley, Sikkim.

Nidification. A common breeder in the Gyantse Plain, Tibet, breeding both in holes in trees and in walls and banks. Eggs of a clutch, taken from a small natural hole in a willow, measure about 18.8 × 13.5 mm., and are richly marked for Great-Tit's eggs. The nest was of wool and Mouse-hare {Lagomys) fur. It was taken on 18.5.17.

Habits. Those of the species.

(57) Parus major commixtus.

The Burmese Great-Tit.

Parus commixtus Swinhoe, Ibis, p. 63 (1868) (S. China).

Parus minor. Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 48.

Vernacular names. Buinum memka (Burmese).

Description. Differs from tibetanus in having the green confined to the upper back and scapulars, the yellow below is obsolete or very slight, and the white on the outer tail-feathers is less extensive. From the true minor of Japan and N. China it differs in being much less green above, and more buff or vinaceous rather than yellow below.

Colours of soft parts as in cinereus.

Measurements. Wing 61 to 68 mm., generally under 66; tail 53 to 61 mm.

Distribution. Tenasserim, Eastern Burma, Siam, Shan States and S. China.

Nidification. Breeds in April and May and possibly sometimes earlier, as a clutch iu the Waterstiadt collection was taken on the 20th February. The nest is made of fur, wool, or hair, sometimes with a base of soft moss and sometimes mixed moss and other materials, but nearly always lined with wool, hair, or fur. It is generally placed in some hole in a tree or dead stump but Harington took it from a hole in a bank. The eggs, four to six in number, are like those of cinereus and measure about 16·2 × 12·8 (16·80 × 13·05 mm. Mackenzie).

Habits. Much the same as those of cinereus in India. A sociable, lively little bird frequenting, preferably, broken hilly country and ascending the hills to at least 6,000 feet but also being found iu the low country, perhaps, however, more frequently in the winter than in the summer.

 

(58) Parus nuchalis.

The White-winged Black-Tit.

Parus nuchalis Jerdon, Madr. Journ., xiii, p. 131 (1844) (Eastern Ghats); Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 49.

Vernacular names. Nulla patsa jitta (Tel.).

Description. The whole upper plumage, wing-coverts, lores, sides of the crown, chin, throat, centre of the breast and a broad ventral band black; a large nape-patch, the cheeks, ear-coverts and those parts of the plumage not already mentioned white; the under tail-coverts streaked with black; quills with the outer webs white at base and a partial narrow edging of white elsewhere; the later secondaries broadly edged white and the innermost one or two wholly white. The two outer tail-feathers white, the next with the outer web white, the inner web black with' a white tip, the other feathers black with white tips. The amount of white on the tail varies considerably in different individuals.

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

Measurements. Total length about 140 mm.; wing 61 to 71 mm.; tail 51 to 57 mm.; tarsus about 18 mm.; culmen about 10 mm.

Distribution. From the country round the Sambhar Lake through Ajmere to Deesaand on to Cutch; Jerdon first obtained it on the Eastern Ghats west of Nellore and Dr. Stewart obtained it at Bangalore. The specimen in the British Museum from the Gadow collection is labelled Bhutan, but this assuredly is a mistake.

Nidification. Nothing on record.

Habits. Apparently a resident bird wherever found, but very little is known about it. Jerdon records it as keeping to the tops of heavily wooded hills on the Eastern Ghats.

 

(59) Parus monticolus monticolus.
The Geeen-backed Tit.

Parus monticolus Vigors, P. Z. S., 1831, p. 22 (Himalayas, Simla); Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 49.

Vernacular names. Sarak-chak-pho (Lepcha); Daosi-whet (Cachari).

Description. Cheeks and ear-coverts white; the whole head, nape, breast and a broad band down the middle of the abdomen black; a whitish patch on the nape; back and scapulars greenish yellow; rump slaty; upper tail-coverts black; tail black, the outer webs suffused with blue, all the feathers tipped with white, the outer web of the outermost feather entirely white; lesser wing-coverts black, edged with slaty; the other coverts and the winglet black, edged with blue and tipped with white, forming two wingbars; the earlier primaries edged with white at base and below the emarginations; the others, with the outer secondaries, edged with blue and tipped with white; innermost secondaries black edged and tipped with white; abdomen, sides of breast and axillaries bright deep yellow; under tail-coverts black, tipped with white.

Colours of soft parts. Bill black; iris brown; legs dark slate or phunbeous, claws horny-brown to blackish.

Measurements. Total length about 130mm.; wing 64 to 69 mm.; tail 54 to 60 mm.; tarsus about 18 to 20 mm.; culmen about 10 mm.

The female is a little smaller with a wing of 60 to 65 mm.

Distribution. The Himalayas from the extreme N.W. to Manipur, Chittagong and the N.E. of the Chin Hills.

Nidification. This little Tit breeds throughout its range at altitudes between 4,000 and 9,000 feet in April, May and June. It makes a nest of moss, fur, wool and hair, sometimes of one, sometimes of two or more of these materials, and often with a dense lining of feathers. Any convenient hole will suffice whether it be in a tree, a wall, part of a building or occasionally a bank. In Shillong it has been found in a hole in the thatch of a house but, for nesting purposes, this bird does not frequent houses and buildings as often as do the Grey-Tits.

The eggs number from four to six and even eight and are white, boldly and freely blotched with red and reddish brown. 100 eggs average 17·1 × 12·8.

Habits. A high-level bird, this little Tit is seldom found much below 5,000 feet, whilst it may be seen in the Western Himalayas up to and over 10,000 feet. It is a sociable, familiar little bird, haunting gardens and the vicinity of human habitations, keeping much to the trees and taller shrubs, on which it keeps up an ever-restless hunt for its insect food. It also eats many fruits but is not a seed-eater, nor does it seem to enjoy a stray meat-bone from the kitchen as cinereus does. Its note is a very loud four syllabic whistle, which may be written ti-ti-tee-it, the third syllable much prolonged. In Shillong, where it is very common, this call is the first bird-note to be heard in the early dawn when it is most persistent and shrill though quite musical.

(60) Parus cyanus tianschanicus.

The Tianschan Blue-Tit.

Cyanistes cyanus var. tianschanicus Menzbier, Bull. Soc. Zool. France, ix, p. 276 (1884) (Mountains of Central Asia).

Vernacular names. None recorded.

Description. A thin line of deep blue running through the eye and over the ear-coverts in a narrow collar rouud the nape; remainder of head pale vinous blue or blue-grey; back pale blue-grey; upper tail-coverts briglit dark blue, tipped with white; outermost tail-feathers white, with the basal third of the inner web black; on each succeeding pair the white decreases and the black increases and becomes more blue, especially on the outer web, until the central rectrices are all dark blue, except for broad white tips. Visible portion of closed wing deep blue, the quills edged with white on their terminal halves and the inner secondaries with bold white tips also; greater coverts with similar tips making a broad bar of white across the wing.

Below pale vinous blue-grey with a broad patch of black on the abdomen forming an interrupted black median line on these parts.

Colours of soft parts. Bill slaty horn; irides brown; legs and feet plumbeous.

Measurement.s Wing about 75 mm., tail about 65 mm.; culmen about 7 mm.; tarsus about 15 mm.

Distribution. Tianschan, Turkestan, Afghanistan, Chitral.

Nidification. It is said to breed in May, laying 10 or 11 typical Blue-Tits' eggs, white spotted with red, in a nest of hair and grass in a hole. In size they seem to vary between 18·5 × l25 (Dybowski) and 14·8 × 11·5 mm. (Rey).

Habits. Those of the genus. They are found at considerable elevations, certainly up to 12,000 feet, descending lower in winter, especially in the most northern parts of their habitat where they may be found at the level of the Plains. Fulton obtained five young birds in Chitral, at 10,000 feet in July 1902; he reports that this Tit was common there in the river-bed, where they were frequenting dense scrub of willow, juniper and birch.

 

Parus palustris.

Key to Subspecies.

A. Back grey, tinged with olive-green	P. p. korejewi, p. 82.
B. Back olive-brown, much darker	P. p. pœcilopsis p. 82.

(61) Parus palustris korejewi.
The Turkestan Marsh-Tit.

Parus communis korejewi Zarud. & Härms, Orn. Monatsb., x, p. 54 (1902) (Karatau, Turkestan).

Vernacular names. None recorded.

Description. Head, nape and extreme upper back, chin and upper throat black; back grey, tinged with olive-rufous; next to black of head on nape pure white, fading into smoky fulvous on neck; below white tinged with fulvous on flanks and abdomen; wing-quills brown, with silver-grey edges; coverts broadly edged grey.

Measurements. Wing about 65 mm.; tail about 56·2 mm.; tarsus about 16 mm.; culmen about 10 mm.

Distribution. Turkestan, Afghanistan, Baluchistan. A rare straggler into extreme N.W. India.

Nidification. A clutch of eggs taken at Sarsen, Turkestan and given to me by Herr M. Kuschel are indistinguishable from those of the British Marsh-Tit. They average about 16·0 × 12·5 mm. and were taken on the 10th May, 1896.

Habits. Similar to those of other races of the Marsh-Tit.

(62) Parus palustris pœcilopsis.
The Yunnan Marsh-Tit.

Lophophanes pœcilopsis Sharpe, Bull. B. O. C, xiii, p. 11 (1902) (Chatung, W. Yunnan).

Vernacular names. None recorded.

Description. Similar to the last, but much darker olive-brown above and darker, duller fulvous below.

Colours of soft parts. Not given, but appear to be the same as in the British bird.

Measurements. Total length about 120 mm.; culmen about 10 mm.; wing about 65 mm.; tail about 52 mm.; tarsus about 14 mm.

Distribution. Yunnan. A specimen obtained by Col. H. H. Harington near Maymyo iu the Kachin Hills is referable to this race.

Nidification and Habits. Nothing recorded.