Bag titmouse

Bag titmouse
Tasmanian tit ( Remiz pendulinus )
Systematics
Subclass : New-jawed birds (Neognathae) Order : Passerines (Passeriformes) without rank: Eupasseres Subordination : Songbirds (passeri) without rank: Passerida Family : Bag titmouse
Scientific name
Remizidae
Olphe-Galliard , 1891

The bag-titans (Remizidae) are a family of small songbirds that are closely related to the real tits . Most species build hanging nests on trees, mostly near water.

properties

Bag tits are small, tit-like birds between 7.5 and 11 cm in length. Compared to the tits, they have finer, smaller beaks . They have short, rounded wings and short, ragged tails.

distribution and habitat

The bag tits are common in Eurasia , Africa and North America . While the genus Remiz is common from Portugal and northern Morocco to Japan , the largest genus, Anthoscopus , occurs south of the Sahara as far as South Africa . The monotypic genus Auriparus lives in Mexico and the southwestern USA .

The Eurasian species are mostly migratory birds , the African and American species are annual birds.

Most species prefer open land with scattered trees and bushes, while some species live in deserts , swamps or forests .

behavior

Nest of Remiz pendulinus

Most of the food is made up of insects , and some fruits, seeds and nectar are also eaten. The hunting behavior is very reminiscent of that of the real tits.

Many species build elaborate, hanging nests from materials such as spider silk , animal hair, and soft parts of plants such as willow and poplar seeds . The nests of the genus Anthoscopus are even more complicated than those of the Eurasian genus Remiz , they have a false entrance above the real one, which leads into an empty chamber. The real entrance is closed with a flap.

Systematics

Currently 13 species in 5 genera are assigned to this family:

Family: Tasmanian tits (Remizidae)

• Remiz
  • Tasmanian tit ( Remiz pendulinus )
  • Black-headed bag tit ( Remiz macronyx )
  • Chinese bag tit ( Remiz consobrinus )
  • Bald titmouse ( Remiz coronatus ) (The species are considered by some authors to be subspecies of R. pendulinus .)
• Anthoscopus - 6 species
  • White-browed bag tit ( Anthoscopus caroli )
  • Golden-browed bag tit ( Anthoscopus flavifrons )
  • Cape bag tit ( Anthoscopus minutus )
  • Gray tit ( Anthoscopus musculus )
  • Senegalese tit ( Anthoscopus parvulus )
  • Sudan bag tit ( Anthoscopus punctifrons )
• Cephalopyrus
  • Flame front ( Cephalopyrus flammiceps ) (The membership of the genus in the Remizidae family is controversial.)
• Auriparus
  • Goldköpfchen ( Auriparus flaviceps )
• Pholidornis
  • Strichelköpfchen ( Pholidornis rushiae )

Web links

Commons : Bag titmouse  album with pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Steve Madge: Family Remizidae (Penduline-tits) . In: Josep del Hoyo, Andrew Elliott, David A. Christie (Eds.): Handbook of the Birds of the World . tape 13 : Penduline-tits to Shrikes . Lynx Edicions, Barcelona 2008, ISBN 978-84-96553-45-3 , pp. 52-75 .
2. ↑ Harrap, Simon & Quinn, David: Tits, Nuthatches & Treecreepers. Christopher Helm, London 1996, ISBN 0-7136-3964-4 .