Black-crested Titmouse (Baeolophus atricristatus) [XC289365]
by Hal Mitchell from South Llano River State Park, Junction, Kimble, Texas, United States (alarm call, call)
Black-crested Titmouse (Baeolophus atricristatus) [XC885305]
by id from Vanderpool, Bandera County, Texas, United States (song)
Subspecies
Forms a superspecies with Oak Titmouse (Baeolophus inornatus), Juniper Titmouse (Baeolophus ridgwayi) and Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor). Was until recently treated as conspecific with Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor), and the two hybridize in a narrow zone in central Texas, but they generally differ somewhat in ecology. Further study required.
Subspecies intergrade widely in overlap zones. Proposed subspecies dysleptus in southern USA (western Texas) and adjacent northern Mexico (south to Sierra del Carmen, in Coahuila) synonymized with paloduro. Birds of subspecies sennetti have been referred to using the older names castaneifrons and texensis, but both of these older names appear to be based on hybrids.
The following 3 subspecies are recognised:
paloduro Stevenson, JO, 1940 - Southern USA (northern Texas, south-western Oklahoma), also south-western Texas (Trans-Pecos) south to northern Mexico (extreme eastern Chihuahua, north-western Coahuila).
sennetti Ridgway, 1904 - Central and southern Texas.
atricristatus Cassin, 1850 - Southern Texas (Rio Grande Valley) and north-eastern Mexico.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet