Verdin (Auriparus flaviceps) [XC413373]
by Lauren Harter from Santa Gertrudis Lane, Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States (call)
Verdin (Auriparus flaviceps) [XC288452]
by Jarrod Swackhamer from Pintail Slough, Havasu NWR, Mohave County, Arizona, United States (call)
Nest
Ball-shaped, with a side entrance, composed of thorny twigs in a bush or low in a tree.
Subspecies
Relationships uncertain. Has been placed with the tits and chickadees (Paridae) and in the past even with the previously monotypic Bananaquit (Coerebidae); results of research on DNA-DNA hybridization, however, suggest affinities with the New World gnatcatchers and gnatwrens (Polioptilidae), rather than with any other group. Nevertheless, this species does share a number of features with the penduline-tits, in particular nest details, vocalizations, bill shape and incomplete post-juvenile moult. Pending further research, it is considered better retained in present family. Geographical variation confusing, and somewhat clinal, with several subspecies intergrading. The number of subspecies could potentially be reduced following taxonomic review. Birds of this species in south-western New Mexico (south-western USA) and central Durango (north-central Mexico) of uncertain subspecies, provisionally included in acaciarum. Proposed subspecies fraterculus (described from Chinobampo, in south Sonora, in Mexico) is synonymized with nominate.
The following 6 subspecies are recognised:
acaciarum Grinnell, 1931 - South-western USA (south-eastern California, southern Nevada, south-western Utah, Colorado Valley of western Arizona, and south-western New Mexico) and north-western Mexico (south to southern Baja California Norte, central Sonora, west-central Chihuahua and central Durango).
ornatus (Lawrence, 1851) - Southern USA (south-eastern Arizona, southern and central New Mexico, Texas and south-western Oklahoma) and north-eastern Mexico (north-eastern Sonora, northern Chihuahua, Coahuila, northern San Luis Potosí and central-southern Tamaulipas).
hidalgensis Phillips, AR, 1986 - North-central Mexico (north-eastern Jalisco, south-central Guanajuato, southern San Luis Potosí and central Hidalgo).
BirdLife International Species Factsheet