Iraq Babbler
Argya altirostris
Small babbler with a long tail and short wings, typical of other babblers. Warm buff overall with a pale throat and a lightly streaked back and crown. Moves around in reedbeds in noisy flocks. Vocalizations include a high-pitched "pi-pi-pi-pi-pi…" and explosive "pit! pit!"
Identification
The Iraq babbler (Argya altirostris) is a species of bird in the family Leiothrichidae, native to the reedbeds of Mesopotamia. It is found in Iraq, southwestern Iran, Syria, and southeastern Turkey. Its range overlaps with that of the Afghan babbler Argya huttoni, from which it is distinguished by its smaller size and use of wetland habitats. Originally confined to the lower Euphrates and Tigris valleys in southern Iraq and adjacent western Iran, in recent decades it has spread north along the Euphrates through Syria, reaching the Birecik area of southeastern Turkey in 2006.
Taxonomy
Genus: Argya; Family: Leiothrichidae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Argya altirostris
- Authority
- (Hartert, EJO, 1909)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Leiothrichidae
- Genus
- Argya
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
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