Sulawesi Bush Warbler
Locustella castanea
A sparrow-sized dark warbler with an often scruffy-looking, graduated tail. Has dark chestnut-brown upperparts, a whitish eyebrow, a distinct white throat, and dull grayish underparts. Formerly grouped with Buru Bush Warbler and Seram Bush Warbler under the name “Chestnut-backed Bush Warbler.” A secretive inhabitant of montane and foothill forest, often creeping around on or near the ground. Darker above and dingier below than Gray’s and Middendorff's Grasshopper-Warblers, and also has a clean-cut white throat; almost identical to Buru and Seram Bush Warblers, but ranges do not overlap. Calls include a sharp metallic “chit” and a drawn-out, wavering buzzy note, “tzeeoooreee.” There is some variation in songs, which usually comprise three high-pitched buzzing notes, “tzeeee-tzeee-tzeee,” higher-pitched on the final note.
Identification
The Sulawesi bush warbler (Locustella castanea) is a species of Old World warbler in the family Locustellidae. It is endemic to the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia where it is found on the forest floor.
Taxonomy
There are two subspecies:
- Scientific name
- Locustella castanea
- Authority
- (Büttikofer, 1893)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Locustellidae
- Genus
- Locustella
Range and habitat
The Sulawesi bush warbler is found in undisturbed primary montane forest and in secondary forest, as well as adjoining thick scrub, bushes and rank grassland. It has a preference for moss-covered rocks and tree trunks densely clad with vines. On Seram it frequents lower mountain slopes in Lithospermum and Castanopsis woodland with Shorea, Agathis and Dacrydium trees, ferns and mosses, and also dense patches of bamboo. One of the places where this bird can be found on Sulawesi is the Gunung Ambang Nature Reserve.
Behavior
The Sulawesi bush warbler is a mostly ground-dwelling bird, skulking in the undergrowth and running on the forest floor in a manner reminiscent of a mouse. It often flicks its wings over its back and cocks its tail slightly. It sometimes sings perched on a low branch. The song is a repetitive series of short, insect-like buzzing trills, "tzeeeuuutzeee". The breeding habits of this species are unknown but a fully-fledged juvenile has been seen in August.
Conservation
Population trend: stable.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
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