Moustached Warbler

Lusciniola melanopogon (Temminck, 1823)

2013-06-20 Urdzhar region. Alakol lake. VKO	© Viktor Kolesnikov

Description

The adult Moustached Warbler in breeding plumage has the olive-brownish rusty tinged upperparts and the longitudinal dark-brownish streaks on the back. The head is darker than back, there is dark strips above the white supercilium on the head; the crown is rusty-grey with dark-brown centers of the feathers. The uppertail is yellowish-brown without mottles. The flight and tail feathers are dark-brownish with buffy edges. The inner secondaries are with the broad light edges. The underparts are white buffy tinged on the breast, flanks and undertail. The underwings are white. The plumage is dense, long and soft. The bill is dark, strong and pointed; the legs are lead-grey; the eyes are brownish. The sexes are identical. In fresh plumage the upperparts are rusty-brown rufous tinged; the underparts have clayey tone. Juveniles have rustier tinge; are heavily streaked and have markings on the breast. Weight 10,6-13,6 grams, length about 140, wing 58-62, tail 52-59 mm.

Distribution

Breeds in northern coast of Caspian Sea near Ganyushkino and in Ural delta; in Syrdarya valley from delta to Chinaz; in Balkhash-Alakol depression and on Alakol lake. Juvenile bird caught in Kurgaldzhin Reserve (30 June 2003). In summer it obtained in lower current of Chilik river (2 August 1951); and male observed in Tekes reservoir (14 July 2002). On migration occurs at Taraz, on Biylikol lake, on Chokpak Pass (17 April 2002, 17 September 1967, 29 September 1969), in lower of Chu river and about Tashkent.

Biology

The Moustached Warbler is common breeding migrant. It inhabits the shores of the rivers and lakes with the reed, rush, reed-mace beds and some bushes; on plains and in mountains up to 1800 m. On migration it occurs in the forest-belt and the tall weed thickets too. It arrives early–mid March, or early–mid April. Migration finishes on mid–end May. Breeds in separate pairs. Nest is built in the old reed heaps, rush and reed-mace beds and in bush, low on water, from the dry grass mixed with vegetation fluff. Clutches of 3-6 eggs is in end April – mid-May. Juveniles fledge in July. Autumn migration mostly in September, latest birds recorded in mid October.

Subspecies

References

"Птицы Казахстана" том 4. "Наука", Алма-Ата. 1972. Gavrilov E. I., Gavrilov A. E. "The Birds of Kazakhstan". Almaty, 2005. Э.И.Гаврилов. "Фауна и распространение птиц Казахстана". Алматы, 1999. А.Ф.Ковшарь "Певчие птицы". Алма-Ата, "Кайнар", 1983.