Alternative name: Carp's Black Tit
- Melaniparus carpi
Identification
15 cm (6 in)
- Black overall plumage
- White wing patches
Similar Species
Very similar to the Southern Black Tit but the white on the wings is more extensive, and the undertail coverts are black, rather than black and white.
Distribution
Western Africa: found only in southern Angola to north-western Namibia
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species[1].
Formerly placed in genus Parus.
Habitat
Mopane and acacia woodland - favouring hillsides and escarpments.
Behaviour
Diet
Although not well recorded, they are know to eat spiders, ants and termites.
Breeding
Monogamous. They may not breed during periods of drought.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2015. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2015, with updates to August 2015. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Avibase
- Ian Sinclair's Field Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa
- BF Member observations
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved March 2016)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Carp's Tit. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 3 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Carp%27s_Tit
