Ashy Tit (Melaniparus cinerascens)

Family
Paridae (Tits And Chickadees)

Size
13 cm

First Described (Guide)
(Vieillot, 1818)

Habitat
Subtropical and tropical lowland dry shrubland, dry savanna. From 275 - 1,880 m.

Range (Guide)

Angola, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe.

Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.

Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).

Status LC
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Voice
Song is a ringing, whistled 'klee-klee-klee-cheree-cheree' but harsher and more scolding than that of Grey Tit (Melaniparus afer). A harsh 'chrrr' uttered in alarm.

Xeno-Canto Sound Files (more (60)...)

Ashy Tit (Melaniparus cinerascens) [XC454400]
by Tony Archer from Ventersdorp, Southern DC, North West, South Africa (call)

Ashy Tit (Melaniparus cinerascens) [XC586760]
by Tony Archer from City of Matlosana, Southern DC, North West, South Africa (call)

Subspecies
Forms a superspecies with Somali Tit (Melaniparus thruppi), Miombo Tit (Melaniparus griseiventris) and Grey Tit (Melaniparus afer). Has been considered conspecific with any one of those or with all of them.

Birds from south-eastern Zimbabwe and northern South Africa (eastern Limpopo south to Free State), previously separated as subspecies orphnus on basis of purer white face and nuchal patch and greyer upperparts, now considered doubtfully distinct from fresh-plumage nominate.

The following 2 subspecies are recognised:

benguelae (Hall, BP & Traylor, 1959) - South-western Angola, possibly also extreme north-western Namibia.
cinerascens (Vieillot, 1818) - Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and northern South Africa (south to northern Northern Cape, Free State and Mpumalanga).

References
See References.

Files:

JPG files for Ashy Tit (Melaniparus cinerascens) - 10 files

More Information

BirdLife International

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BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

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