Parus rubidiventris

Eck, Siegfried, 2006, The Palaearctic Titmouse Species (Aves: Paridae: Parus sensu lato) — A current survey *, Zootaxa 1325, pp. 7-54 : 28-29

4. Parus rubidiventris

Martens (1985: 366) pointed out that according to Borredaile et al. (1977) beavani had been sighted in the area of rubidiventris in the Langtang Valley ( Nepal). Hybridisation between these forms is not so far known to occur. Wolters (1980: 384) already treated “ Periparus beavani ” as a separate species. — Outside the Palaearctic there is P. r. saramatii RIPLEY, 1961 [Mt. Saramati, Naga Hills, Burma], which differs from beavani in colour and is probably also smaller. It remains open whether beavani s.str. and rubidiventris s.str. meet all the requirements for conspecificity.

P. rubidiventris rubidiventris BLYTH, 1847 [ Nepal]; P. rubidiventris beavani (JERDON, 1863) [Mt. Tongloo, Sikkim]; P. rubidiventris szetschwanensis MEISE, 1937 [peak of the Washan]; P. rubidiventris whistleri STRESEMANN, 1931 [near Lau­hu­kou, S Tetung Mts., N Gansu].

The population groups: P 23 rubidiventris ; W Himalayas. — Figs. Martens & Eck: 1995, Plate2: b; Quinn: Plate20: 62a–b.

* Middle of belly rusty red. — Wing length maximally 74 mm, 10 ♂♂ 65–74 mm, x = 69.5 mm ± 2.47, tail length 45–52 mm, x = 48.1 mm ± 1.91. —WTI (n=15) 15.8–19.7 %, x = 17.6% ± 1.33; TWI (n=15) 65.9–71.5 %, x = 69.2% ± 1.44 ( Martens & Eck 1995: 327).

P 24 beavani , szetschwanensis, whistleri; E Himalayas to China. — Figs. Martens & Eck

1995, Plate2: c; Quinn: Plate 20: 62 c–d.

* Underside grey. Wing length decreases between Himalayas and Gansu, relative tail length increases, overall coloration varies. — The birds of N Gansu, called whistleri, were distinguished from beavani on the basis of their smaller dimensions and lighter grey colour, and those of Sichuan szetschwanensis MEISE, 1937, because they are smaller (and also have upper side not as dark as birds from Nepal). Both forms differ from beavani in their smaller dimensions and divergent proportions (!), but this was unfortunately not acknowledged by Vaurie. — P. r. beavani s.str. has a TWI of x = 70.3 % ± 1.22 (n=44) and a wing length up to 74 mm (like ssp. rubidiventris ); whistleri / szetschwanensis tend towards a longer tail and have a TWI of x = 71.9 % ± 1.30 (n=31) and a maximal wing length of 69 mm.