Long-tailed Tits (Aegithalidae)

Sooty Tit (Aegithalos fuliginosus) - HBW 13, p. 98

French: Mésange à col blanc German: Rußschwanzmeise Spanish: Mito Cuelliblanco
Other common names: White-necklaced/Silver-faced Tit, Sooty Long-tailed Tit

Taxonomy: Mecistura fuliginosa J. Verreaux, 1869, “eastern Tibet” = western Sichuan, China.
No obvious affinities to other members of genus, although approaches A. bonvaloti (especially of race obscuratus) in some respects. Birds from Hsien Shan Hsien (in W Hubei) described as a geographical race, scurrula, but differences from birds elsewhere in range considered insignificant. Monotypic.

Distribution: Mountains of C China N & W of Red Basin: S Gansu S to C & NE Sichuan (Min Shan and Pingwu S to Baoxing, also Daba Shan), E to S Shaanxi (Taibai Shan/Qin Ling Shan) and W Hubei (NW of Yichang).