Willow TitPoecile montanus occurs across Eurasia, from Great Britain to Japan. China has four of world’s 14 ssp., representing two of four main species groups. From salicarius group, baicalensis in northern Xinjiang and Northeast China south to Liaoning. From Songar group, songarus in Tianshan in Xinjiang, affinis Ningxia west to northeast Qinghai, and stoetzneri southeast Inner Mongolia, Hebei, Shanxi, and Henan. HABITAT & BEHAVIOR Forests, both broadleaved and coniferous, to 1800 m (5,910 ft.) in Jilin (baicalensis), 2700 m (8,860 ft.) in Xinjiang (songarus). P. m. baicalensis has similar Northeast China range to Marsh TitP. palustris brevirostris. ID & COMPARISON Small, bulky tit, well-known for its confusing resemblance to Marsh TitP. palustris. In China further confusion arises by similarity of vocalizations. In Western Europe, by contrast, Willow Tit and Marsh Tit more easily separable by voice. Also very similar to Sichuan TitP. weigoldicus and Black-bibbed TitP. hypermelaenus. Best morphological trait separating baicalensis and brevirostris (and indeed any races of Willow Tit and Marsh Tit) is whitish spot on proximal area of upper mandible—almost always on Marsh Tit, almost never on Willow Tit. Other less reliable morphological elements are structure—more elongated in brevirostris (reminiscent of Japanese TitParus minor), owing in part to longer tail of brevirostris as well as relatively smaller head; baicalensis can appear stockier, even no-necked. Poecile montanus baicalensis is also slightly smaller than brevirostris, and tail of baicalensis is round-tipped, not square-tipped, as in brevirostris. Black crown and nape of baicalensis may be faintly glossy, but brevirostris glossier, and black bib of baicalensis can be larger and less well-defined than smaller, neater bib of brevirostris. Both baicalensis and brevirostris have pale upperparts, but baicalensis brownish-grey, brevirostris greyish-brown. Wings of baicalensis greyish-black, with pale fringes to secondaries forming wing panel. P. p. brevirostris also has wing panel, making this criterion of separation problematic; but wing panel on baicalensis is slightly more prominent. Cheek and underparts of baicalensis tend creamy-white, with pinkish-grey wash on flanks; underparts of brevirostris tend toward dirty white, with flanks washed grey. Birds from Songar group are darker than baicalensis, with greyish-brown upperparts and wings (lacking a wing panel); a dull, brownish-black cap; a more extensive bib; and grey-brown underparts washed cinnamon on the flanks. BARE PARTS Bill black; feet grey. VOICE Rich repertoire of calls and songs. Nasal call: dzee. — Craig Brelsford
Xuanzhong Temple in Shanxi is the best-known place in the world to view Brown Eared PheasantCrossoptilon mantchuricum. A recent visit by British birder Mark Havenhand (see comment below) stimulated me to update my report about my trip to Xuanzhong. Have you been to Xuanzhong? Help birders by leaving a comment below. — Craig Brelsford
I went to Xuanzhong Temple in December and January to photograph Brown Eared PheasantCrossoptilon mantchuricum.
The temple in central Shanxi, China sits in a gorge at an elevation of 1000 m (3,280 ft.). The hills are covered with trees that the locals call baishu (cypress). The setting is picturesque.
The air was bitterly cold; as low as -20°C (-4°F). Bright sunshine made the days cheerful. The temple flock of Brown Eared Pheasant appeared every day.
Elaine Du and I caught an 8 a.m. flight from Hongqiao Airport in Shanghai to Taiyuan, capital of Shanxi. From Taiyuan Airport, we drove our rental car west about an hour through Jiaocheng to Xuanzhong Temple (37.563877, 112.078460).
In the following days I noted other taxa representative of north-central China: Chinese NuthatchSitta villosa villosa, Eurasian NuthatchS. europaea sinensis, Songar TitPoecile montanus stoetzneri, Coal TitPeriparus ater pekinensis, and Beijing BabblerRhopophilus pekinensis.
Many birders balk at ticking semi-wild birds, but if you want an easy tick of Brown Eared Pheasant, then Xuanzhong Temple is the place to go. Note that both Mark Havenhand and I had wild Brown Eared Pheasant far from the temple on the road between Xuanzhong and Jiaocheng.
MAP AND PHOTOS
Xuanzhong Temple (37.563877, 112.078460) is in central Shanxi province (red) in north-central China. The site is 1120 km (690 mi.) northwest of Shanghai. I visited the site in December and January 2012–13. (Wikipedia/Craig Brelsford)Xuanzhong Temple dates from the 400s. Like many Buddhist temples in China, Xuanzhong serves as a sanctuary for wild birds. Xuanzhong is the best-known place in the world for viewing Brown Eared Pheasant. (Craig Brelsford)Main viewing area for Brown Eared Pheasant. Xuanzhong Temple lies in a gorge in the foothills of the Lüliang Mountains. The elevation is 1000 m (3,280 ft.). (Craig Brelsford)Road leading from Jiaocheng to Xuanzhong Temple. For views of Brown Eared Pheasant in a more wild setting, drive or walk this road. Here both Mark Havenhand (comment below) and I noted wild Brown Eared Pheasant, along with numerous other species. (Craig Brelsford)Birders visit Xuanzhong Temple to view semi-wild flocks of Brown Eared PheasantCrossoptilon mantchuricum. The species is endemic to north China. Xuanzhong Temple is at the center of its range, which covers the Lüliang Mountains of Shanxi plus adjacent Hebei and Shaanxi. (Craig Brelsford)Brown Eared Pheasant is listed by the IUCN as Vulnerable. ‘Its range,’ the IUCN writes, ‘has been fragmented by habitat loss, and isolated populations are at risk from further forest loss and other pressures. Outside nature reserves, the threats include deforestation for agriculture and urban development, and habitat degradation due to logging and livestock-grazing.’ About 17,000 Brown Eared Pheasant are thought to exist (BirdLife International 2016). (Craig Brelsford)The pheasants show little fear of man. I was able to achieve intimate closeups such as this …… and this. (Craig Brelsford)A man feeds Brown Eared Pheasant. We daily saw local people hand-feeding the pheasants and setting out maize for them. Some birders balk at viewing semi-wild birds, but Xuanzhong offers guaranteed views of a species hard to find elsewhere. (Craig Brelsford)Brown Eared Pheasant perches on a cypress branch. The pheasants are semi-wild. They range freely, retiring at night to the hills and each morning gliding dramatically down to the floor of the gorge. (Craig Brelsford)Brown Eared Pheasant likely has been present at Xuanzhong for hundreds of years. (Craig Brelsford)Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus fly in front of Brown Eared Pheasant. (Craig Brelsford)Brown Eared Pheasant exercising its wings. (Craig Brelsford)Brown Eared Pheasant dancing. (Craig Brelsford)If not for the pheasants, few birders would visit Xuanzhong Temple. The temple does however offer a sampling of the birds of north central China. Here is Chinese Long-tailed RosefinchCarpodacus lepidus lepidus, male. (Craig Brelsford)Chinese Long-tailed Rosefinch, female. (Craig Brelsford)Coal TitPeriparus ater pekinensis. This race shows a short crest. P. a. pekinensis ranges from southern Liaoning to Shanxi, Hebei, and Shandong. (Craig Brelsford)Songar Tit Poecile montanus stoetzneri, currently classified as a race of Willow Tit. (Craig Brelsford)Chinese NuthatchSitta villosa is a small nuthatch with a prominent white supercilium and patchy black eye-stripe. The nominate race is found in Hebei, Beijing, and Shanxi. (Craig Brelsford)Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaea sinensis. This subspecies is characterized by its reddish-brown underparts. In the bitter cold, the nuthatch was inspecting the smallest cracks in the bark for its food. (Craig Brelsford)Beijing Babbler Rhopophilus pekinensis foraging in the snow. (Craig Brelsford)The aptly named Plain LaughingthrushPterorhinus davidi. (Craig Brelsford)Red-billed Blue MagpieUrocissa erythroryncha brevivexilla. (Craig Brelsford)Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus on the road to the temple. (Craig Brelsford)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
BirdLife International 2016. Crossoptilon mantchuricum. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22679299A92809690. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22679299A92809690.en. (Accessed: 26 March 2024)
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