Tits and Chickadees (Paridae)
Varied Tit (Poecile varius) - HBW 12, p. 718
French: Mésange variée
German: Buntmeise
Spanish: Carbonero Variado
Taxonomy: Parus varius Temminck and Schlegel, 1848, Honshu, Japan.
Until recently present genus normally subsumed into a broad Parus, and many authors still prefer that treatment. Genus normally treated as feminine, but no evidence in original description or elsewhere justifies this, so genus is masculine by default. Has hybridized with P. montanus. Geographical variation largely clinal, grading progressively smaller and darker from N to S. Birds from Yakushima (off S Japan) described as race yakushimensis, supposedly slightly darker on forecrown and side of head than those on neighbouring Tanegashima, but differences considered insuffic.. View all taxonomy...
Taxonomy: Parus varius Temminck and Schlegel, 1848, Honshu, Japan.
Until recently present genus normally subsumed into a broad Parus, and many authors still prefer that treatment. Genus normally treated as feminine, but no evidence in original description or elsewhere justifies this, so genus is masculine by default. Has hybridized with P. montanus. Geographical variation largely clinal, grading progressively smaller and darker from N to S. Birds from Yakushima (off S Japan) described as race yakushimensis, supposedly slightly darker on forecrown and side of head than those on neighbouring Tanegashima, but differences considered insufficient to warrant separation from sunsunpi. Eight subspecies recognized.
Until recently present genus normally subsumed into a broad Parus, and many authors still prefer that treatment. Genus normally treated as feminine, but no evidence in original description or elsewhere justifies this, so genus is masculine by default. Has hybridized with P. montanus. Geographical variation largely clinal, grading progressively smaller and darker from N to S. Birds from Yakushima (off S Japan) described as race yakushimensis, supposedly slightly darker on forecrown and side of head than those on neighbouring Tanegashima, but differences considered insufficient to warrant separation from sunsunpi. Eight subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- varius ( Temminck & Schlegel, 1848) - S Kuril Is, Japan, NE China (SE Liaoning, S Jilin) and Korea.
- sunsunpi ( Nagamichi Kuroda, 1919) - Osumi-shoto (Tanegashima, Yakushima), off S Japan.
- namiyei ( Nagamichi Kuroda, 1918) - N Izu Is (Toshima, Niijima, Kozushima).
- varius ( Temminck & Schlegel, 1848) - S Kuril Is, Japan, NE China (SE Liaoning, S Jilin) and Korea.
- sunsunpi ( Nagamichi Kuroda, 1919) - Osumi-shoto (Tanegashima, Yakushima), off S Japan.
- namiyei ( Nagamichi Kuroda, 1918) - N Izu Is (Toshima, Niijima, Kozushima).
- owstoni ( Ijima, 1893) - S Izu Is.
- amamii ( Nagamichi Kuroda, 1922) - NC Ryukyu Is (Amami-oshima S to Okinawa).
- olivaceus ( Nagamichi Kuroda, 1923) - Iriomote, in S Ryukyus.
- castaneoventris ( Gould, 1863) - Taiwan.
- orii ( Nagamichi Kuroda, 1923) - Daito-jima (Borodino Is).
- Least Concern Enlarge map
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A bird pecking a sunflower seed on a branch. Locality Maioka Park, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Honshu, Japan (ssp varius)
Josep del Hoyo 23 January 2010 2 years ago 29 sec 4.6 -
Several views of a bird perched on a branch and turning around (50% speed). Locality Shiotsubo Onsen Hotel, Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, Honshu, Japan (ssp varius)
Josep del Hoyo 9 February 2010 2 years ago 32 sec 4.5 -
Bird on branch examining human. Locality Rokko Mountain Range, Hyogo Prefecture, Honshu, Japan
Charles McHugh 14 September 2009 3 years ago 25 sec 4.4 -
A bird feeding on a branch, using its feet and turning around, under a snowfall. Locality Yuyado Daiichi Spa Ressort, Shibetsu District, Hokkaido, Japan (ssp varius)
Josep del Hoyo 7 February 2010 2 years ago 28 sec 4.3 -
A bird looking for food. Locality Maioka Park, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Honshu, Japan (ssp varius)
Josep del Hoyo 23 January 2010 2 years ago 22 sec 4.3 -
Bird on branch eating worm Locality Rokko Mountain Range, Hyogo Prefecture, Honshu, Japan
Charles McHugh 11 May 2009 4 years ago 28 sec 4.2
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One inquisitive bird
Locality Heuksan-do Island, Jeollan Province, South Korea (ssp varius)
Rémi Bigonneau 22 October 2011 1 year ago 4.1 -
An adult bird perched on a branch.
Locality Hachijojima, Izu Islands, Japan (ssp owstoni)
Pete Morris 1 July 2002 14 weeks ago 4 -
Taken at Wulai, Taipei County.
Locality Taiwan (ssp castaneoventris)
alder 14 February 2009 4 years ago 4 -
One bird perched in a tree
Locality Meiji Jingu Park, Tokyo, Honshu, Japan
Rémi Bigonneau 24 December 2011 1 year ago 3.8 -
One bird
Locality Heuksan-do Island, Jeollan Province, South Korea
Rémi Bigonneau 22 October 2011 1 year ago 3.8 -
A bird eating a fruit on a branch
Locality Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, Honshu, Japan
Aleix Comas 31 December 2009 3 years ago 3.7
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adult with juveniles Locality Iriomotejima, Ryukyu Islands, Japan
Desmond Allen 1 February 2002 3 years ago 4
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