Machlolophus Holsti (Yellow Tit)

The yellow tit or Formosan yellow tit (Machlolophus holsti) is a species of bird in the family Paridae. It is endemic to central Taiwan.

Its length is 13 cm. The yellow tit is mostly yellow, with a crest. The crest and back are blackish blue-grey. Its natural habitat is montane temperate forest.

These tits are found only in the mountains of central Taiwan. Though their diet is not well known, it seems to include small invertebrates and their larvae. They build their nests from dried leaves, bamboo, lichen, moss, and feathers. Their population is thought to be decreasing, due mostly to capture for the wild bird trade.

The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is described as uncommon or rare (del Hoyo et al. 2007), it has a restricted range and small population, while the population in Taiwan has been estimated at c.100-10,000 breeding pairs in Taiwan (Brazil 2009).

Trend Justification:  Data on population trends are lacking, but this species has been captured for export by the wild bird trade in the past, so a continuing negative trend is suspected and it is classed as Near Threatened by the IUCN.

The yellow tit was formerly one of the many species in the genus Parus but was moved to Machlolophus after a molecular phylogenetic analysis published in 2013 showed that the members of the new genus formed a distinct clade.