From Opus

Alternative name: White-winged Tit

Photo by Trevor Hardaker
Abijata Shalla Lakes National Park, Ethiopia

Parus leucomelas

[edit] Identification

Length 15-16 cm. Black with a white shoulder and black-and-white flight feathers.

The eyes are dark (White-shouldered Black Tit has yellow eyes), and the shoulder patch is solid white (Carp's Tit and Southern Black Tit have shoulder patches with black-and-white stripes).

[edit] Distribution

Central Africa, from Angola in the west to Ethiopia.

[edit] Taxonomy

Clements^[1] accepts two subspecies:

• P. l. leucomelas in Ethiopia
• P. l. insignis from Gabon to DRC, Kenya, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique

Some authorities treat this species conspecific with White-shouldered Tit.

[edit] Habitat

Woodland, including both acacia and broadleafed woodlands; not found in true forest.

[edit] Behaviour

Usually in pairs or small groups; joins mixed-species feeding parties.

[edit] Vocalisation

A chee-er chee-er whistle and harsh churrs.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist.
2. Sinclair, I and P Ryan. 2003. Birds of Africa South of the Sahara. Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0691118154

• List of references

[edit] External Links