The Chinese penduline tit is a species of bird in the family Remizidae. The species was first described by Robert Swinhoe in 1870. It is native to Manchuria. There are 10 species in the family Remizidae. They are similar to true tits, but make characteristic penduline nests. They inhabit open fields and wetlands. They have sharp bill tips and the sexes look alike.
Region
East Asia
Typical Environment
Breeds in northeastern China and adjacent parts of the Russian Far East and Korea, moving south to eastern and central China in winter. It favors lowland wetlands, river floodplains, lakeshores, and reedbeds with scattered willows and shrubs. Outside the breeding season it also uses agricultural edges and hedgerows near water. It is closely associated with riparian vegetation where it forages and attaches its hanging nest.
Altitude Range
0–1000 m
Climate Zone
Continental
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This small passerine of the family Remizidae weaves elaborate, pendulous nests from plant fibers and down, often suspended from willow branches over water. First described by Robert Swinhoe in 1870, it breeds in northeastern China and nearby regions and winters farther south. Its sharp, fine-tipped bill is adapted for probing catkins and gleaning tiny insects. The sexes are very similar, with males typically showing a crisper facial mask.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Outside the breeding season it forms small flocks that move through reedbeds and willow thickets. During breeding, pairs or small groups construct intricate, hanging nests; the male often leads nest building, with both sexes sometimes contributing. Nests are lined with soft plant down and placed over or near water. Clutches are tended in dense cover to reduce predation.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
Song is a soft, twittering series of high, thin notes. Calls include sharp, sibilant tsit or tsee given while foraging and in flight.
Plumage
Small, tit-like bird with a pale head contrasting with a dark facial mask, warm rufous-brown upperparts, and pale buff underparts. Wings show darker flight feathers with a subtle pale panel; tail is relatively long and slightly graduated. Bill is fine, short, and pointed.
Diet
Feeds primarily on small insects, spiders, and larvae gleaned from catkins, reeds, and shrubs. It probes willow and poplar catkins efficiently with its fine-tipped bill. In colder months it supplements its diet with some seeds and other plant material. Foraging is meticulous and often involves hanging acrobatically to reach prey on suspended vegetation.
Preferred Environment
Most often forages in reedbeds, riparian willow groves, and shrubs along rivers and lakes. It uses edges and ecotones where reeds, sedges, and scattered trees provide both food and nest sites.
