Panurus biarmicus

The bearded reedling (Panurus biarmicus) is a small, sexually dimorphic reed-bed passerine bird. It is frequently known as the bearded tit, due to some similarities to the long-tailed tit, or the bearded parrotbill. It is the only species in the family Panuridae. The bearded reedling was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 10th edition of Systema Naturae in 1758. He placed it in the genus Parus with the tits. The species has since been placed with the parrotbills in the family Paradoxornithidae, after they were removed from the true tits in the family. More recent research suggests it is a unique songbird – no other living species seems to be particularly closely related to it. The species is now placed in the monotypic family Panuridae. Molecular phylogenetic studies have shown that the bearded reedling is a member of the superfamily Sylvioidea and is most closely related to the lark family Alaudidae. The current genus name, Panurus, is from Ancient Greek panu, 'exceedingly', and ουρά, 'tail'. The specific biarmicus is from 'Biarmia', a Latinised form of Bjarmaland formerly part of what is now the Arkhangelsk Oblast area of Russia.