- Poecile songara
Identification
13 cm. Dark brown cap, black bib, rich brown upperparts, white cheeks and cinnamon buff underparts. The sexes are similar, but juveniles are somewhat duller.
Distribution
Southeast Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and northern China.
Taxonomy
Four subspecies are recognized:[1]
- P.s. songara - Tien Shan Mountains of Kazakstan
- P.s. weigoldica - Southwest China
- P.s. affinis - North-central China
- P.s. stotzneri - Northeast China
Habitat
Deciduous mountain forests.
Behaviour
It excavates a cup shaped nesting hole, often in a rotten stump or in a tree, which is lined with fur, hair and wood chips, and sometimes feathers. 5-6 white with small reddish spots or blotches eggs are laid.
The diet includes caterpillars, insects and seeds.
