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Difference between revisions of "African Blue Tit" - BirdForum Opus

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[[Image:African_Blue_Tit.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Subspecies ''ultramarinus'': Photo by {{user|mehdhalaouate|mehdhalaouate}}. Picture taken in Central [[Morocco]].]]
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'''Alternative name: Canary Islands Blue Tit'''
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;[[:Category:Cyanistes|Cyanistes]] teneriffae
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[[Image:African_Blue_Tit-teneriffae_by_Ingo.jpg‎|thumb|550px|right|''C. t. teneriffae''<br />Photo by {{user|Ingo|Ingo}}<br />[[Tenerife]], January 2003]]
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;[[:Category:Cyanistes|Cyanistes]] teneriffae<br />
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''Parus teneriffae''
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
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10.5-12cm.  Blue back, blue crown, dark blue line passing through the eye, white cheeks, forehead, and a bar on the wing, blue nape, wings and tail, yellow underparts with dark line down the abdomen.
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11–12 cm (4¼-4¾ in)
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*Blue back, nape, and tail
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*Dark blue-black eyestripe and crown
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*Wings deep greyish blue, with or without a white wingbar
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*White cheeks and forehead
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*Yellow underparts with dark line down the abdomen
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[[Image:African_Blue_Tit.jpg|thumb|350px|right|''C. t. ultramarinus''<br /> Photo by {{user|mehdhalaouate|mehdhalaouate}}<br />Central [[Morocco]], October 2004]]
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====Similar species====
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[[File:African_Blue_Tit_Ct-ombriosus_KATA.jpg|thumb|350px|right|''C. t. ombriosus'' <br />Photo &copy; by {{user|katastrofa|katastrofa}}<br />[[El Hierro]], [[Canary Islands]], 22 February 2020]]
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[[Blue Tit]] differs mainly in paler plumage overall.
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====Regional variation====
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Populations in western Canary Islands show a narrower wing bar and those in central Canary Islands lack a wing-bar entirely, while subspecies ''C. t. degener'' on the eastern Canary Islands has broad white wing-bars, as broad as or broader than north African ''C. t. ultramarinus''.
 
==Distribution==
 
==Distribution==
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[[Image:African_Blue_Tit-teneriffae_by_Ingo.jpg‎|thumb|300px|right|Subspecies ''teneriffae'': Photo by {{user|Ingo|Ingo}}<br /> Picture taken in [[Tenerife]]]]
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The North African Blue Tit ''C. t. ultramarinus'' occur from sea level to 2100 m in the Atlas mountain range of [[Morocco]] and [[Tunisia]]. Some vagrant birds in winter can easily reach the latitude of 28 dg N in southern contry oasis. ''C. t. cyrenaicae'' is found in Libya, while ''C. t. palmensis'', ''C. t. teneriffae'', ''C. t. ombriosus'', and ''C. t. degener'' are found in different islands of the [[Canary Islands]].
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The North African Blue Tit ''Cyanistes t. ultramarinus'' occur from sea level to 2100 m in the Atlas mountain range of [[Morocco]] and [[Tunisia]]. Some vagrant birds in winter can easily reach the latitude of 28 dg N in southern contry oasis. Subspecies ''cyrenaicae'' is found in Libya, while ''palmensis'', ''teneriffae'', ''ombriosus'', and ''degener'' are found in different parts of the [[Canary Islands]].
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[[Image:African_Blue_Tit-degener-Fuerteventura-by-Steenl.jpg|thumb|350px|right|''C. t. degener''<br />Photo by {{user|steenl|steenl}}<br /> [[Fuerteventura]], November 2006]]
−
 
 
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
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Some authors have treated virtually every one of the subspecies described above as independent full species. Certain other authorities, principally the Howard & Moore 2003 edition, treats the African Blue Tit as several subspecies under [[Blue Tit]], ''Cyanistes caeruleus''.  
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In the past, the genus ''Cyanistes'' was included in a broad view of the genus ''[[:Category:Parus|Parus]]''.
 +
====Subspecies====
 +
Some authors have treated virtually every one of the subspecies listed below as independent full species. Certain other authorities, principally older works up to and including the Howard & Moore 2003 edition, treat the African Blue Tit as several subspecies under [[Blue Tit]] ''Cyanistes caeruleus''. <br />
  
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Final taxonomic note is that older books will have not the genus ''Cyanistes'', instead this and other tits of that genus were believed to belong to ''Parus''.
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There are 7 subspecies<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>:
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[[Image:African_Blue_Tit-degener-Fuerteventura-by-Steenl.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Subspecies ''degener'': Photo by {{user|steenl|steenl}}<br /> Picture taken in [[Fuerteventura]]]]
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*''C. t. ultramarinus'':
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:*Northwestern [[Africa]] ([[Morocco]] to [[Tunisia]]) and Pantelleria Island (southern [[Italy]])
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*''C. t. cyrenaicae'':
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:*Cyrenia, [[Libya]]
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*''C. t. palmensis'':
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:*[[Canary Islands]] (La Palma)
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*''C. t. teneriffae'':
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:*[[Canary Islands]] (Gomera and [[Tenerife]])
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*''C. t. hedwigae'':
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:*[[Canary Islands]] ([[Gran Canaria]])
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*''C. t. ombriosus'':
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:*[[Canary Islands]] (Hierro)
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*''C. t. degener'':
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:*Eastern [[Canary Islands]] ([[Fuerteventura]] and [[Lanzarote]])
  
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Some authorities treat ''C. t. degener'' as synonymous with ''C. t. ultramarinus''.
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
 
Deciduous and mixed woodlands.
 
Deciduous and mixed woodlands.
 +
==Behaviour==
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====Breeding====
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It builds a nest from moss, wool, hair and feathers, and 7-8 eggs are laid in April or May.
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====Diet====
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Their diet is not well recorded, but presumably similar to [[Eurasian Blue Tit]], typically seeds, insects and nuts.
 +
==References==
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#{{Ref-Clements6thAug15}}#[http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=1733110 Posts #97 and 98 in] this BirdForum thread discuss African Blue Tit
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#Wikipedia
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#Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved November 2014)
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{{ref}}
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==External Links==
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{{GSearch|Tit+teneriffae}}
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<br />
  
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==Behaviour==
 
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It builds a nest from moss, wool, hair and feathers, and 7-8 eggs are laid in April or May.
 
  
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==External Links==
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[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Cyanistes]]  
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{{GSearch|Cyanistes+teneriffae}}
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{{GS-checked}}
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[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Cyanistes]]
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<br />
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<br />

Latest revision as of 08:08, 26 November 2021

Alternative name: Canary Islands Blue Tit

C. t. teneriffae
Photo by Ingo
Tenerife, January 2003
Cyanistes teneriffae

Parus teneriffae

Identification

11–12 cm (4¼-4¾ in)

  • Blue back, nape, and tail
  • Dark blue-black eyestripe and crown
  • Wings deep greyish blue, with or without a white wingbar
  • White cheeks and forehead
  • Yellow underparts with dark line down the abdomen
C. t. ultramarinus
Photo by mehdhalaouate
Central Morocco, October 2004

Similar species

C. t. ombriosus
Photo © by katastrofa
El Hierro, Canary Islands, 22 February 2020

Blue Tit differs mainly in paler plumage overall.

Regional variation

Populations in western Canary Islands show a narrower wing bar and those in central Canary Islands lack a wing-bar entirely, while subspecies C. t. degener on the eastern Canary Islands has broad white wing-bars, as broad as or broader than north African C. t. ultramarinus.

Distribution

The North African Blue Tit C. t. ultramarinus occur from sea level to 2100 m in the Atlas mountain range of Morocco and Tunisia. Some vagrant birds in winter can easily reach the latitude of 28 dg N in southern contry oasis. C. t. cyrenaicae is found in Libya, while C. t. palmensis, C. t. teneriffae, C. t. ombriosus, and C. t. degener are found in different islands of the Canary Islands.

C. t. degener
Photo by steenl
Fuerteventura, November 2006

Taxonomy

In the past, the genus Cyanistes was included in a broad view of the genus Parus.

Subspecies

Some authors have treated virtually every one of the subspecies listed below as independent full species. Certain other authorities, principally older works up to and including the Howard & Moore 2003 edition, treat the African Blue Tit as several subspecies under Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus.

There are 7 subspecies[1]:

  • C. t. ultramarinus:
  • C. t. cyrenaicae:
  • C. t. palmensis:
  • C. t. teneriffae:
  • C. t. hedwigae:
  • C. t. ombriosus:
  • C. t. degener:

Some authorities treat C. t. degener as synonymous with C. t. ultramarinus.

Habitat

Deciduous and mixed woodlands.

Behaviour

Breeding

It builds a nest from moss, wool, hair and feathers, and 7-8 eggs are laid in April or May.

Diet

Their diet is not well recorded, but presumably similar to Eurasian Blue Tit, typically seeds, insects and nuts.

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2015. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2015, with updates to August 2015. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Posts #97 and 98 in this BirdForum thread discuss African Blue Tit
  3. Wikipedia
  4. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved November 2014)

Recommended Citation

External Links


GSearch checked for 2020 platform.

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