Tits and Chickadees (Paridae)

Black-breasted Tit (Periparus rufonuchalis) - HBW 12, p. 721

French: Mésange à nuque rousse German: Fichtenmeise Spanish: Carbonero Nuquirrufo
Other common names: Rufous-naped/Rufous-vented/Black-crested/Dark Grey/Simla Black Tit

Taxonomy: Parus rufonuchalis Blyth, 1849, Simla, north-western Himalayas, India.
Until recently present genus normally subsumed into a broad Parus, and many authors still prefer that treatment. Occasionally considered conspecific with P. rubidiventris. Birds from Afghanistan E to N Pakistan (Gilgit) have been proposed as warranting racial separation (as blanchardi), but differences from populations elsewhere appear inconstant. Monotypic.

Distribution: S Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, SW China (W Xinjiang), NW & E Afghanistan, W & N Pakistan and E in Himalayas to WC Nepal (Kali Gandaki gorge).