Manchurian Reed Warbler
Acrocephalus tangorum
Small, shy, and poorly understood, this reed warbler breeds in the remote marshlands of northeastern China and Russia and winters in drier, grassier habitats in Southeast Asia. Warm brown overall with a clean-cut whitish brow and throat; brow extends well behind the eye, unlike in Blunt-winged Warbler. Very similar to extralimital Paddyfield Warbler, but Paddyfield shows dark-tipped lower mandible, duller brown tones overall, and a dirtier brow stripe with a distinctive pinch just before the eye, after which it fades out; Manchurian’s brow broadens behind the eye instead. Oriental Reed Warbler much larger, with a weaker head pattern. Rambling jumbled song consists of high-pitched warbling notes and sharp clicks and rattles; more pleasant-sounding than that of Oriental Reed Warbler.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Acrocephalus tangorum
- Authority
- La Touche, 1912
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Acrocephalidae
- Genus
- Acrocephalus
Range and habitat
- Breeding range
- PAL : ne China, se Russia
- Non-breeding range
- se Asia
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Asian Short-toed Lark
Alaudala cheleensis
A nondescript-looking small songbird of arid open areas. Adult brownish above, white below; juvenile similar but has neat white edging to its dark feathers. Crestless, stout-billed appearance distinguishes this species from other larks in the region. The slightly larger Greater Short-toed Lark is similar but has a small black neck stripe, weaker breast streaking, and is paler overall, with a lighter face and belly.
Short-tailed Batis
Batis mixta
Males have the typical batis pattern of black, white, and gray. Females have a more unusual pattern, with rufous in the wing and either a rufous or gray wash across the breast. Both sexes have a narrow pale eyebrow and orange or reddish eyes. Found in forest at low and middle elevations, often in pairs. Very similar to Dark Batis, but there is no known overlap in range. Males are similar to Chinspot and Pale Batises, but are distinguished by the darker eye and shorter tail. Females are distinctive. The song is variable, but is usually a long series of identical low-pitched tooting notes.
Rufous Limestone Babbler
Gypsophila calcicola
A large and chunky babbler found very locally in limestone hills covered with dry forest. Rufous-brown overall with a black-streaked throat and a white-streaked back. Forages close to the ground, often in and around rocky cracks and crevices. Song is a loud, ringing, rather hoarse-sounding sequence of whistled notes including some repeated phrases, sometimes given as a duet by a pair. Also gives harsh “grrr” notes. Similar to Streaked Wren-Babbler, but larger and longer-tailed, with bolder striping on the throat and no white spots on the shoulder.
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