Sombre tit



The sombre tit (Poecile lugubris) is a member of the tit family found in southeast Europe and southwest Asia. Sombre tits occur in low density in thin woodlands at the elevation range between 1000 and 1600 metres above sea level.

Similar to the other tit species, the sombre tit is a cavity-nesting species, which makes the nests in the holes in juniper, willow, poplar, and other relevant tree species. In some cases they nest in iron pipes (e.g. the ones used for orchard fencing), and in artificial nest-boxes.

The clutch usually consists of 4 to 9 eggs, having two clutches per year. They breed on mountain slopes, in open deciduous forest, lower down on in trees and bushes in rocky terrain, and in fruit orchards. The breeding season lasts from early April until the beginning of August.

Their diet mainly consists of insects, especially caterpillars and other larvae. It forages on the ground and in lower branches.

Molecular phylogenetic studies have shown that the sombre tit is sister to the white-browed tit (Poecile superciliosus).