Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Ground Tit (Pseudopodoces humilis)
Ground Tit

Ground Tit

Pseudopodoces humilis

The Ground Tit, also known as the Tibetan Ground-Tit or Hume's Ground-Tit (Pseudopodoces humilis), is a unique avian inhabitant of the Tibetan plateau. This bird, once shrouded in taxonomic mystery and misidentified as a member of the Corvidae family, has been rightfully placed within the tit family, Paridae. It is the sole representative of the genus Pseudopodoces, exhibiting a somewhat sparrow-sized form with a soft, cryptic plumage that blends seamlessly into its high-altitude environment.

Identification Tips

The Ground Tit bears a resemblance to the unrelated ground jays in stature but is notably smaller, lacking any striking markings. Its plumage is a subtle greyish-fawn on the underside with a tawny hue, while the upper parts are a shade darker. The head features a darker cap and a lighter nape patch, reminiscent of certain tits and chickadees. The bill is strong, slightly downcurved, and black, akin to that of a chough, though not in color. Both sexes appear similar, making gender identification in the field a challenge.

Habitat

This species is a denizen of the open alpine steppe and occasionally more arid regions with sparse shrubbery. It thrives at elevations not lower than 3,000 meters, avoiding areas with dense vegetation, particularly trees.

Distribution

The Ground Tit is found across the Tibetan Plateau, extending into the neighboring regions of western Sichuan and Gansu in China, as well as parts of India, Nepal, and Bhutan.

Behaviour

The Ground Tit is not adept at sustained flight, preferring to stay close to the ground. When disturbed, it opts to run or leap away with remarkable agility, often covering thrice its body length in a single bound. It shares its habitat with colonies of pikas, benefiting from mutual vigilance against predators.

Song & Calls

The vocalizations of the Ground Tit include a plaintive whistling series of "cheep-cheep-cheep-cheep" and a two-syllable finch-like call.

Breeding

Nesting is a unique affair for the Ground Tit, with burrows excavated by the birds themselves. These burrows can extend up to 1.8 meters into the earth, ending in a chamber where a simple nest of grass and wool is constructed. The species lays pure white eggs, and cooperative breeding is observed, with monogamous pairs often assisted by male helpers.

Similar Species

While there are no similar species within its range, the Ground Tit's appearance can be confused with that of ground jays or wheatears from a distance.

Diet and Feeding

The Ground Tit forages on the ground, probing yak dung and rock crevices for arthropods. Its bill is used extensively for digging, much like that of the red-billed chough.

Conservation status

The IUCN Red List categorizes the Ground Tit as Least Concern, indicating a stable population without significant threats to its survival at present.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Ground Tits on Birda

Sightings
A map showing the sighting location
🦢
Hemant Kirola
19 Aug 2022 - 2:15pm
India

More Tits, Chickadees

A photo of a Black-crested Titmouse (Baeolophus atricristatus)

Black-crested Titmouse

Baeolophus atricristatus
Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Leonie
We've been waiting for an App like this
Excellent! We've been waiting for an app like this! Thank you! It would be nice if you could assign additional birds to sessions later!
BCHphotography_
Such a great app!
I didn’t think I could enjoy birding more but this app makes it so much better. Some great features and a really great way to share your sightings with your friends or fellow birders nearby or around the world! ❤️
Dan R
Great app for bird fanatics
Great app for bird fanatics - very user friendly and a perfect place to share sightings.
Anonymous
The best bird logging app
Birda is honestly the best bird logging app I have seen. I love all the features it has from being able to do a session and log all the birds you see in one sitting, to being able to connect with other birders from all over the globe!
Unbridled Discoveries
Great app for bird lovers
I love this app! It’s a wonderful way to track birding sessions, and also connect you with fellow birders. I also really like the unidentified bird section, it’s a great community tool to help figure out what a never-before-seen bird is!
SuperOliviaGirl
Really great app
It’s easy to use and it’s fun to log the birds you notice on a walk or just in your garden. There’s a option to record the birds you see in a session which is really nice. Good excuse to stop for a while and just watch birds. I am also enjoying the information part where you can find out fact about birds from all over the world.
EandB17
Terrific App for Birders
Downloaded Birda around the time my interest in birding was sparked, and it has been a terrific app to help me (1) share my experience, (2) document my sightings, and (3) learn more about birds in general. That said, I also believe Birda is a fantastic app for birders of all experience levels. Great community!
Abi.M
Awesome App
I really enjoy using this app! It is such a friendly community of bird-lovers who are happy to help if I need ID advice. It’s been great motivation to get outdoors and go birding more! 10/10 😍😍
Hip An
Fantastic
Really enjoying Birda where I live i have a lot of Red kites really hard to photograph but I can video are you planning some place on the app where us Birda can post vids🦉🦅
Chudbond
Love Birda
I love this app. It really encourages you to log your sightings and the community is friendly and helpful.
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.