The Himalayan Black-Lored Tit, also known as Black-Lored Tit, is a fairly common bird in the Inter State Chandigarh Region (ISCR). This winter visitor’s preferred habitat is forest edges and its scientific name is Parus Xanthogenys.
The identification mark is a broad black line down its otherwise yellow front. The crest, neck, throat and head are black with yellow cheeks and supercilium. While its upper parts are olive-green, it has two white/yellowish wing bars and white outer tail feathers. The maximum size of this bird is 13 cm.
As the habitat of this bird is forest edges, it is very rare to spot it in the low areas, including Chandigarh, Panchkula, Mohali etc in the ISCR. Kasauli Hills and Morni Hills are best places where one can find the Black-Lored Tit in the winter.
The Black-Lored Tit usually nests in holes made by woodpeckers and also takes shelter in man-made cavities or holes. It mainly feeds on insects and utters a lively “chee-chee” while in quest of food. During the breeding season, the male has a loud, clear, whistling song: “cheewit-cheewit”.
I was delighted to capture this bird in my camera, by chance, while in the pursuit of another bird on the old Kalka-Kasauli Road on March 10, 2020. It was sitting between two branches separated from the trunk of a tree. Its back was facing my camera. The bird was moving its neck from side to side and its contrasting black crest and yellow cheeks, and supercilium, fascinated me. In fact, I was not aware about the identity of this bird when I accidently captured it on camera. Later, it was Mitinderpal Sekhon, president of Chandigarh Bird Club, who revealed its identity.
