Elegant tit


The elegant tit is a species of bird in the tit family Paridae endemic to the Philippines.

Taxonomy

The species was formerly included in the much larger genus Parus but was moved to Pardaliparus with the yellow-bellied tit and the Palawan tit when Parus was split into several resurrected genera following the publication of a detailed molecular phylogenetic analysis in 2013.

Description

The elegant tit resembles the Palawan tit, having a black head and neck, and a yellow belly, breast. The wings are pied black and white, as is the back of the male, that of the female is olive. The species varies from the Palawan tit in having a yellow cheek and a yellow line on the back of the head.

Distribution and habitat

It is endemic to the Philippines, ranging across most of the islands. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.