Chickadees and Tits Paridae
There are 9 genera within this family, of which 4 are listed below. Of the 56 species, the White-naped Tit Parus nuchalis is vulnerable and the Yellow Tit Parus holsti and White-fronted Tit Parus semilarvatus are considered near-threatened. Tits and Chickadees are found in North America, Eurasia, and Africa. There is much debate within the taxonomy of this family. Some authorities recognize only 5 genera, with Poecile, Periparus, Lophophanes, and Cyanistes being lumped with Parus.


Poecile

There are 13 species in the genus.

The Mountain Chickadee Poecile gambeli is a common and familiar inhabitant of mainly montane coniferous and mixed woodlands of the American West. During severe winters of heavy snow, they can become so desperate for food, they will literally feed out of your hand. Photographed at Sandia Crest, near Albuquerque, New Mexico, December 2004.






Periparus

There are 4 species in the genus.

The Coal Tit Periparus ater near Aviemore, Highland, Scotland, June 2009.








Baeolophus


There are 5 species in the genus.

Black-crested Titmouse Baeolophus atricristatus at Big Bend National Park, Texas, May 2009.


Oak Titmouse Baeolophus inornatus near Mount Laguna, California, April 2009.





Bridled Titmouse Baeolophus atricristatus at the George Walker House, Paradise, Cochise County, Arizona, December 2001.








Lophophanes


There are 2 species in the genus.

Crested Tit Lophophanes cristatus near Aviemore, Highland, Scotland, June 2009.







Parus


There are 6 species in this genus.

Yellow-cheeked Tit Parus spilonotus at Doi Inthanon National Park, Thailand, January 2009.


Great Tit Parus major at the Attenborough nature reserve, Nottinghamshire, England, June 2009.


Cyanistes

There are 3 species in this genus.

The Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus is a familiar bird across much of Europe, western Asia and North Africa. The race that inhabits the Canary Islands was recently recognized as a full-species Canary Blue Tit Cyanistes teneriffae. This individual was photographed along the Grantham Canal, near Cotgrave, Nottinghamshire, England, April 2005.






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