Photo: Francesco Veronesi / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Red-throated Tit
Melaniparus fringillinus
Red-throated Tit (Melaniparus fringillinus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Red-throated Tit (Melaniparus fringillinus) is a member of the Paridae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 13.8 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Paridae Tits, Chickadees
- Genus Melaniparus
- Species fringillinus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 13.8 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Paridae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Red-throated Tit is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Red-throated Tit is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Red-throated Tit (Melaniparus fringillinus) is a species of bird in the Paridae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF s Kenya and n Tanzania.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 13.8 g, with a wing length of about 7.2 cm and a tail of around 4.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 391,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Red-throated Tit?
The Red-throated Tit is a very small bird that weighs around 13.8 g.
Where does the Red-throated Tit live?
The Red-throated Tit is found across Africa with a range covering AF s Kenya and n Tanzania, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Red-throated Tit belong to?
The Red-throated Tit (Melaniparus fringillinus) belongs to the Paridae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Red-throated Tit eat?
The Red-throated Tit is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Red-throated Tit migrate?
The Red-throated Tit is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Red-throated Tit endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Red-throated Tit make?
1 real field recording of the Red-throated Tit — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Red-throated Tit's range?
The Red-throated Tit has a mapped global range of about 391,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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