Tits and Chickadees (Paridae)

Turkestan Tit (Parus bokharensis) - HBW 12, p. 741

French: Mésange du Turkestan German: Turkestanmeise Spanish: Carbonero Turquestano

Taxonomy: Parus bokharensis M. H. C. Lichtenstein, 1823, Bukhara, south Uzbekistan.
Part of a species group which includes also P. major, P. monticolus and P. nuchalis. Forms a superspecies with P. major; has been treated as conspecific, but the two interbreed only rarely and locally, and genetic evidence indicates that they are better considered separate species. Paler birds from oases in Transcaspian deserts sometimes separated as race panderi. Three subspecies currently recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

bokharensis M. H. C. Lichtenstein, 1823 - SC Kazakhstan, Ukbekistan, Turkmenia and extreme NE Iran E to N Afghanistan.
turkestanicus Zarudny & Loudon, 1905 - SE Kazakhstan E to extreme NW China (N Xinjiang), possibly also extreme SW Mongolia.
ferghanensis Buturlin, 1912 - mountains in Tajikistan (Pamir, Alai) and Kyrgyzstan E to W Tien Shan.