Elegant Tit

The elegant tit (''Pardaliparus elegans'') is a species of bird in the tit family Paridae endemic to the Philippines. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forests and tropical moist montane forest.

Description and taxonomy

Small, sexes similar, with 9 races differing by shading and the amount and location of the white or yellow spotting in the wings and black; male top of head, throat, and upper breast glossy blue black; nape black with yellow spot; mantle black with white spots; lower back yellowish grey; tail black feathers edged white on basal 1/2 and second; primaries edged white; face, lower breast, and belly yellow. female is duller. imm resembles ad; has yellowish throat and blackish moustachial streaks. Bill black sometimes with gray at base in ad, yellowish to yellow orange with top and bottom horn in inn; eye dark brown; legs gray.

The species was formerly included in the much larger genus ''Parus'' but was moved to ''Pardaliparus'' with the yellow-bellied tit and the Palawan tit when ''Parus'' was split into several resurrected genera following the publication of a detailed molecular phylogenetic analysis in 2013.

Subspecies

Nine subspecies are recognized:

* ''P. e. elegans'' – Most of Luzon (except Northwest and Bataan), Mindoro. Catanduanes and Panay
* ''P. e. edithae'' – Calayan Island and Camiguin Norte
* ''P. e. montigenus'' – Northwest Luzon
* ''P. e. gilliardi'' – Bataan Peninsula
* ''P. e. albescens'' – Ticao Island, Masbate, Guimaras and Negros
* ''P. e. visayanus'' – Cebu
* ''P. e. mindananesis'' ''-'' Samar, Leyte and Mindanao
* ''P. e. suluensis'' – Sulu Archipelago except Bongao Island
* ''P. e. bongaoensis''- Bongao Island

Ecology and behavior

Diet is not well known but includes insects, seeds and fruit. Usually seen in pairs of small groups and mixed-species flocks other birds such as white-eyes, sunbirds, sulphur-billed nuthatches, leaf warblers and flowerpeckers.

Breeding is also poorly known. It is believed to breed almost year round as adults have been collected in breeding condition with enlarged gonads from January to June, observed carrying nesting material from March to April and juveniles have been seen from March to November. Nest consist of moss placed in holes in a hollow tree.

Habitat and conservation

It is endemic to the Philippines, ranging across most of the islands. Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forest and tropical moist montane forest as high as 2,480 meters above sea level.

It is assessed as a Least-concern species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as it is fairly common in its range and tolerant of disturbed habitat.

References

* BirdLife International 2004.
Parus elegans

2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Downloaded on 26 July 2007.
* Gosler, A. & P. Clement (2007) "Family Paridae (Tits and Chickadees)" pp. 662–709. ''in'' del Hoyo, J.; Elliot, A. & Christie D. (editors). (2007). ''Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 12: Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees''. Lynx Editions.
* ''A Guide to the Birds of the Philippines'' (2000). Robert S. Kennedy, Pedro C. Gonzales, Edward C. Dickinson, Hector C. Miranda Jr., and Timothy H. Fisher

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2071875

elegant tit
Endemic birds of the Philippines
elegant tit
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot