Bird Album
Southern Black Tit
Melaniparus niger (Vieillot, 1818)
22 gWeight
The southern black tit or simply black tit (Melaniparus niger) is a species of bird in the tit family Paridae, which is native to woodland habitats in southern Africa.
Busiest months: October–November · Most records: South Africa, Namibia, Zambia
Where and when it's recorded
Southern Black Tit has been recorded at 153 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 8 countries and regions.
Records by month Southern Hemisphere
Where it's recorded most
- Mkhuze GRSouth Africa521 records
- Kruger NP – Skukuza CampSouth Africa350 records
- Kruger NP – Satara CampSouth Africa269 records
More places
- Bwabwata NP – Mahango riverside loopNamibia183 records
- Phinda GR – AirfieldSouth Africa173 records
- Kruger NP – Berg-en-Dal CampSouth Africa153 records
- Manyoni GR – Zebra Hills LodgeSouth Africa143 records
- Kruger NP – Lower Sabie Rest CampSouth Africa138 records
- Bonamanzi GRSouth Africa128 records
- Kruger NP – Punda Maria CampSouth Africa123 records
Countries and regions with the most records
eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.
About
The southern black tit or simply black tit (Melaniparus niger) is a species of bird in the tit family Paridae, which is native to woodland habitats in southern Africa.
Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia
Questions
How big is the Southern Black Tit?
The Southern Black Tit weighs around 22 g.
Where does the Southern Black Tit live?
Its breeding range: Africa: southeastern. It is most often recorded in South Africa, Namibia and Zambia.
When is the best time to see the Southern Black Tit?
At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in October and November (Southern Hemisphere).
Is the Southern Black Tit endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the Southern Black Tit as Least Concern.
What does the Southern Black Tit eat?
Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.
What family is the Southern Black Tit in?
It belongs to the family Tits, Chickadees (Paridae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).
At a glance
- Weight
- 22 g
- Habitat
- Woodland
- Diet
- Insects & other invertebrates
- Lifestyle
- Perches in trees
- Migration
- Resident (barely migrates)
- Conservation
- Least Concern
More measurements
- Wing
- 81 mm
- Tail
- 70 mm
- Bill
- 12 mm
- Tarsus
- 19 mm
Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.
Range
Africa: southeastern
Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2
Classification
- Order
- Passerines Passeriformes
- Family
- Tits, Chickadees Paridae
- Genus
- Melaniparus
Other birds in the genus Melaniparus
White-shouldered Black TitMelaniparus guineensis
White-winged Black TitMelaniparus leucomelas
Carp's TitMelaniparus carpi
White-bellied TitMelaniparus albiventris
White-backed Black TitMelaniparus leuconotus
Dusky TitMelaniparus funereus
Rufous-bellied TitMelaniparus rufiventris
Red-throated TitMelaniparus fringillinus
Stripe-breasted TitMelaniparus fasciiventer
Acacia TitMelaniparus thruppi
Miombo TitMelaniparus griseiventris
Ashy TitMelaniparus cinerascens
Download illustration
Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Ian White. ↗
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