Black-throated Bushtit (Aegithalos concinnus) [XC872966]
by Dave GUO from Tianlin Community, Shanghai, China (call)
Black-throated Bushtit (Aegithalos concinnus) [XC793591]
by Frank Lambert from He Fei Shi, An Hui Sheng, China (call)
Subspecies
Subspecies divided into three groups, iredalei forming one group, annamensis another, and remaining four subspecies forming "nominate group". Subspecies annamensis is morphologically distinct, and its separation as a full species could well be justified on this basis alone. Some south-eastern Asian populations of this species of uncertain racial affinity. Thus, birds in north-western Thailand presumed to belong with pulchellus, those in east-central Laos (Nakay-Nam Theun) tentatively included with talifuensis, and those in north-eastern Vietnam and on Hainan I presumed to be of nominate subspecies. Subspecies talifuensis perhaps better synonymized with nominate.
Proposed subspecies taiwanensis (Taiheisan, in Taiwan) inseparable from nominate.
The following 7 subspecies are recognised:
iredalei (Baker, ECS, 1920) - Northern Pakistan (Swat) eastern in
Himalayas to north-eastern India (Mishmi Hills, in eastern Arunachal Pradesh), also SW
China (Sun Kosi valley and Tsangpo bend area of southern Xizang). Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Red-headed Tit (Aegithalos iredalei).
manipurensis (Hume, 1888) - North-eastern India (from south-eastern Arunachal
Pradesh south to Lushai Hills of eastern Mizoram) and western Myanmar (Chin Hills).
talifuensis (Rippon, 1903) - North-eastern Myanmar (east of R
Irrawaddy), southern China (central and south-western Sichuan southern from Emei Shan, south to Yunnan
and south-western Guizhou), northern and east-central Laos and north-western Vietnam.
pulchellus (Rippon, 1900) - Eastern Myanmar (southern Shan States and
Karenni District) and north-western Thailand.
concinnus (Gould, 1855) - East-central and south-eastern China (southern Shaanxi
and Hubei east to southern Jiangsu, south to northern Guangxi and Fujian; has bred Hong
Kong, but possibly birds of captive origin), also north-eastern Vietnam (Cao
Bang and Ha Giang Provinces), Hainan I and Taiwan.
annamensis (Robinson & Kloss, 1919) - Southern Laos
(Boloven Plateau), Vietnam (central and southern Annam) and adjacent Cambodia
(Phumi Dak Dam). Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Grey-crowned Tit (Aegithalos annamensis).
BirdLife International Species Factsheet