Penduline tit
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[Photo] European Penduline Tit (Remiz pendulinus) nest. Image from http://www.biologie.uni-hamburg.de/b-online/birds/regengl.htm "aus: NAUMANN, NATURGESCHICHTE DER V??GEL MITTELEUROPAS: Band II, Tafel 14 - Gera, 1897"

The penduline tits are a family of small passerine birds, related to the true tits. All but the Verdin and Fire-capped Tit make elaborate bag nests hanging from trees, usually over water; inclusion of the Fire-capped Tit in this family is disputed by some authorities. They are insectivores.

Sometimes, these birds are included as subfamily Remizinae in the titmice family Paridae. Which taxonomical lineup one prefers is very much indeed a matter of taste; that these familys are close relatives is well-established by now. If the penduline tits are included in the Paridae, the stenostirid "warblers" would have to be included as another subfamily, while if they are considered a separate family, the Sultan Tit and the Yellow-browed Tit would possibly need to be excluded from the Paridae (Gill et al. 2005; Jønsson & Fjeldsa 2006).

There are 13 species in 5 genera, following Harrap & Quinn (1996):

Genus Remiz
European Penduline Tit Remiz pendulinus
Black-headed Penduline Tit Remiz macronyx
White-crowned Penduline Tit Remiz coronatus
Chinese Penduline Tit Remiz consobrinus

Genus Anthoscopus
Sudan Penduline Tit Anthoscopus punctifrons
Yellow Penduline Tit Anthoscopus parvulus
Mouse-coloured Penduline Tit Anthoscopus musculus
Forest Penduline Tit Anthoscopus flavifrons
African Penduline Tit Anthoscopus caroli
Cape Penduline Tit Anthoscopus minutus

Genus Cephalopyrus
Fire-capped Tit Cephalopyrus flammiceps

Genus Auriparus
Verdin Auriparus flaviceps

Genus Pholidornis
Tit-hylia Pholidornis rushiae

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penduline_tit

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