Rufous-vented Tit (Periparus rubidiventris) has a distribution extending through most of the Himalaya from NE India extending westwards to the Western Himalayas (Gosler & Clement, 2020). Grimmett et al. (2011) also includes Jammu & Kashmir in its range whereas Rasmussen & Anderton (2012) excludes J&K, stating that the distribution only extends westwards to Uttarakhand and that the species has "strayed to Shimla" (in Himachal Pradesh). A specimen supposedly exists in Yale Peabody Museum from Kashmir Valley (YPM ORN 011474) but this has not been examined by us. Since Rasmussen & Anderton (2012) doesn’t include J&K in the range and have extensively sampled specimens in this museum, it is possible that specimen has been mis-identified/labelled and may have belonged to Rufous-naped Tit (Periparus rufonuchalis), as both were once treated conspecific.
All the recent records from J&K, be it published or on eBird ( https://ebird.org/india/map/ruvtit2), support no media documentation and as such, in the absence of any confirmed or verifiable documentation, it would be good to place all the observations on eBird for a re-review and possibly out of the public view until a strong evidence comes out. Many records were on eBird were previously documented with media, but all of these turned out to be Rufous-naped Tit and were subsequently unconfirmed.
We would like to invite comments and discussions on the status of the species in J&K and generally in the Western Himalayas so that our collective knowledge of its distribution can improve. Any comments on changes in time, whether it is widespread, locally present or absent are welcome, apart from any online or offline links and references to media or literature.
Thank you for participating.
Muzaffar A. Kichloo
(On behalf of the Jammu & Kashmir eBird editorial team)
https://ebird.org/india/checklist/S38182339
This checklist claims to have photographs but none has been uploaded. The concerned person can be asked for the same.
https://ebird.org/checklist/S80859998
This checklist also mentions photograph though not uploaded. Can be checked.
A couple of other checklists on eBird also claim that photo is available. This can be checked.
Gurpartap Singh (Punjab)
I agree that most of the records of this tit from Jammu and Kashmir in eBird are perhaps because of confusion with the similar species. The same is true for Himachal Pradesh. I also agree that only those records of this species from these two states, should be accepted in eBird, which are accompanied by the media.
I can confirm that this tit is a rare resident in Himachal Pradesh, at least in central Himachal based on my observations. It might be more frequent as its habitat has not been explored well, but almost surely not as frequent as in Uttarakhand.
Jamdar & Price (1990) has clearly mentioned that they captured a pair of tits with extensive rufous on their underparts, which they also measured (came out to be slightly larger than the pair of Rufous-naped Tits) and identified as Parus rubidiventris in Overa Aru WLS, Jammu and Kashmir. In total they captured 4 individuals. They also found its nest. Other similar tits don’t have extensive rufous on underparts and the authors were experienced, so I think there is no confusion in the identification. However, Price et al. (2003) in their note on comparison of birds in H.P. and J & K, mentioned 6 Parus rubidiventris from Overa and 90 from Manali. Perhaps there was some error involved, because the Rufous-naped Tit P. rufonuchalis, which is the expected species in Manali, and was also recorded in Overa is missing from the list, and also such high number of P. rubidiventris is unexpected in H.P.
Thus, the range of P. rubidiventris certainly extends beyond Uttarakhand.
References
Jamdar, N., & Price, T., 1990. Simla Black Tit Parus rufonuchalis and Rufous bellied Crested Tit Parus rubidiventris breeding sympatrically in Kashmir. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 87: (2) 302-303
Price, T., Zee, J., Jamdar, K., & Jamdar, N., 2003. Bird species diversity along the Himalaya: A comparison of Himachal Pradesh with Kashmir. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 100: (2&3) 394-410.
Regards
C Abhinav
Kangra, Himachal Pradesh
It might be more frequent as its habitat has not been explored well, but almost surely not as frequent as in Uttarakhand.
Thank you for those insights. Can you please comment more about its preferred habitat and elevation range? Do rubidiventris and rufonuchalis occupy different habitats or elevation bands with some degree of overlap?
Also, would you know if the species has been recorded from Kinnaur or Lahaul?
Ashwin Viswanathan (Bangalore)
I have largely birded in the trans-Himalayan region of the western Himalaya so I cannot say much from experience, except that I have birded around Shimla and in GHNP, and I don't recollect ever seeing the Rufous-vented tit. Definitely worth closer examination and filter tightening.
-Kulbhushansingh
https://ebird.org/checklist/S59345597
Records from Chamoli, Uttarakhand.
Dear Ashwin Viswanathan,
My sightings of this species in H.P. are not enough to reach any conclusion. But I have always seen it above 3000 m, and habitats at this altitude are not frequently visited by the birders in H.P.
I have seen it mostly in Rhododendron shrubberies, both above and below treeline.
I am not aware of any recent record of this species from Kinnaur and Lahaul.
The reference mentioned above in my previous comment describe the breeding of rubidiventris and rufonuchalis at same location, and during winter I have seen both species at same altitude. So definitely there is overlap of elevation bands.
I'll collect more details of this species during my visits in future.
C. Abhinav
Kangra, Himachal Pradesh
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