Fire-capped Tit (Cephalopyrus flammiceps) [XC256234]
by Ross Gallardy from Bhulkan, Chamoli, Uttarakhand, India (song)
Fire-capped Tit (Cephalopyrus flammiceps) [XC463388]
by Greg Irving from Doi Lang West Slope, Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park, Fang, Chiang Mai, Thailand (call, song)
Subspecies
Relationships uncertain. Formerly considered to be a kinglet (Regulidae). Placement in present family not entirely satisfactory, as this species differs from others in that it nests in tree holes, as do the true tits and chickadees (Paridae). In addition, it lays blue (not white) eggs, as also does Verdin (Auriparus flaviceps). Nevertheless, song is typical of those of the genus Remiz, as is its small cone-shaped bill. Pending further research, it is better retained in present family. Geographical variation slight and somewhat clinal, with eastern birds darkest. An additional subspecies, saturatus, has been described from Sikkim, but has for long been synonymized with olivaceus.
The following 2 subspecies are recognised:
flammiceps (Burton, 1836) - Breeds northern Pakistan (Gilgit) and Kashmir east to western Nepal. Non-breeding north-central India.
olivaceus Rothschild, 1923 - Breeds eastern Nepal east to Bhutan and north-eastern India (Assam, Arunachal Pradesh), and south-central and southern China (southern Ningxia, south-eastern Gansu, southern Shaanxi, south-central Sichuan, south-eastern Xizang, Yunnan and western Guizhou). Non-breeding in foothills, also (rarely) eastern Myanmar, north-western Thailand and north-western Laos.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet