Cinereous Tit (Parus cinereus) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

The Cinereous Tit, also called the Asian Tit, is a small songbird of Asian woods, parks, and gardens that does not live wild in the United States. Look for white cheeks and a dark stripe down the belly. Japanese studies have found that changing the order of familiar calls changes how the birds respond.

Appearance

Appearance: A small songbird with a black head, bright white cheek patch, and a black stripe running down a pale belly. Southern and western birds have a gray back; birds in East Asia have a more greenish back. Females have a narrower belly stripe.
Voice: Studies in Japan found that birds react differently to a pair of familiar calls when the order is reversed. The result suggests that call order helps carry meaning.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: open woodland
forest edges
parks and gardens
Range: Native to parts of South, Southeast, and East Asia, including India, Korea, and Japan. It does not live wild in the United States.
Seasonal presence: Mostly a year-round resident within its range.

Behavior

Diet: Eats insects and also takes seeds and fruit within its Asian range.

Life cycle

Nest: In its Asian range, it nests in holes in trees and also uses nest boxes.

Name and classification

About the name: East Asian birds were once included in Great Tit (Parus major) and later treated as Japanese Tit (Parus minor). Today they are included in Parus cinereus.

Conservation

IUCN Red List: NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed

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