The yellow-browed tit (Sylviparus modestus) is a species of bird in the familyParidae. It is placed in the monotypicgenusSylviparus.[3] It is a small song bird that measures 9–10 cm long (~3.6 in.) and weighs 5–9 g.[4] It is the smallest member of its family. It has a small bill, short tail, strong legs, and greenish feathers. [4][5]
The Yellow-Browed tit was described by Edward Burton in 1836.[7] It is the only member of the monotypic genus Sylviparus, which is fairly distinct from other tits, second-basal in the family Paridae after Cephalopyrus.[8]
S. m. simlaensis – (Baker, 1917): NW Himalayas from Kashmir E to NC India (Kumaon)
S. m. modestus – (Burton, 1836): C and E Himalayas, NE India (hills of S Assam to Nagaland and Manipur), N, W and SE Myanmar, SC and SE China (SE Tibet, Yunnan, E Sichuan and Guizhou; also NW Fujian and SW Zhejiang), NW Thailand, N and SE Laos and N and SC Vietnam (W Tonkin, S Annam).
S. m. klossi – (Delacour & Jabouille, 1930): SC Vietnam (Da Lat Plateau)
Description
From the crown of the bird to the back, the bird is olive-green, it has a slightly greyer forehead.[4] The wings and tail are greyish brown with green edges and have a faint yellow at the base of the tail.[4] The face is olive-green with yellow flecks.[4] It has a short, faint yellow line above the eye and a thin yellow ring around its eye.[4] The throat and the underparts are dull olive-yellow, paler on its belly.[4] When the feathers are worn, the bird looks duller, with a smaller eyebrow line and browner wings.[4]
Males and females look the same. The juvenile birds are similar to adults, but their tail feathers are more pointed.[4]
Sound
The Yellow-Browed Tit has a short, high-pitched song, which can be transcribed as "tsit", "psit" or "pit", or as harsher "chip" or "tchup". When the sound is longer and more ringing it is transcribed as "tszizizizizi tszizizizizi"; a high-pitched "tee" or "tzee-tzee" can be heard, which is repeated when agitated.[4][10]
The breeding season for the yellow-browed tit is from at least April to May; it is normally seen alone, in pairs, or in small groups during its breeding season. [4]Its clutch typically consists of four to six eggs.[4] Both parents feed the chicks, and the adults may become defensive when protecting their young. [4]
Distribution and habitat
This species lives in temperate mountain forests and lower mountain forests. Found in southern Asia mainly in the Himalayan mountains. It is mostly found in areas with oak, and mixed tree types. At higher elevations, it can be found in mossy forests with plants growing on trees and scrub near the tree line. It also lives in willow thickets and apricot orchards.[4] In southern China, it is found in forests with spruce and fir. Outside of breeding season it lives in deciduous and evergreen forests with large gardens and hillside bushes, often at lower elevations: 1200 - 2400 meters or 3937 - 7874 feet (Western Kashmir); 1500 - 2800 (sometimes up to 4265) meters or 4000 - 8000 (sometimes up to 14000 ) feet (Nepal); Down to 900 meters or 2953 feet (Eastern Himalayas among other areas). [4]
↑José del Hoyo; Andrew Elliot; David A. Christie (2007). Handbook of the Birds of the World Volume 12: Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees. Lynx Edicions. ISBN978-84-96553-42-2.
↑Gosler, A.; Clement, P. (2020). del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Sargatal, J.; Christie, D.A.; de Juana, E. (eds.). "Yellow-browed Tit (Sylviparus modestus), version 1.0". Birds of the World. Ithaca, NY, USA: Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
