Locustella fasciolata
The largest Locustella, strong- billed and with longish graduated tail with pionted faether tips, and unstreaked plumage. Nominate race is warm olive- brown above, more tawny on rump, tinged greyer on top of head; side of head olive- brown, darker lores and distinct whitish supercilium, cheek mottled grey- buff; upperwing- coverts, tertials and edges of flight- feathers warm olive- brown, uniform with mantle, tail dark tawny- brown; whitish- below, washed grey- brown across breast, throat and upper breast usually with dusky mottling; flanks olive- brown, undertail- coverts cinnamon- buff; iris dark brown or mid- brown; bill dark brown or blackish above, greyish- flesh or pale grey- brown with darker tip below; legs flesh- pink or flesh- yellow to pale brown. Sexes alike. Juvenile is darker above than adult, upperparts often distinctly russet, supercilium, cheek and underparts washed olive- yellow, more prominent dark brown spotting from chin to breast. Race amnicola is slightly warmer above than nominate, and tinged buffier below.
Not Threatened
The largest Locustella, strong- billed and with longish graduated tail with pionted faether tips, and unstreaked plumage. Nominate race is warm olive- brown above, more tawny on rump, tinged greyer on top of head; side of head olive- brown, darker lores and distinct whitish supercilium, cheek mottled grey- buff; upperwing- coverts, tertials and edges of flight- feathers warm olive- brown, uniform with mantle, tail dark tawny- brown; whitish- below, washed grey- brown across breast, throat and upper breast usually with dusky mottling; flanks olive- brown, undertail- coverts cinnamon- buff; iris dark brown or mid- brown; bill dark brown or blackish above, greyish- flesh or pale grey- brown with darker tip below; legs flesh- pink or flesh- yellow to pale brown. Sexes alike. Juvenile is darker above than adult, upperparts often distinctly russet, supercilium, cheek and underparts washed olive- yellow, more prominent dark brown spotting from chin to breast. Race amnicola is slightly warmer above than nominate, and tinged buffier below.
16.5- 18 cm; 24- 32 g
Taxonomy: Acrocephalus fasciolatus G. R. Gray, 1861, Bacan, by Halmahera, Moluccas. Studies of mitochondrial DNA indicate that this species and L. certhiola, L. ochotensis and L.pleskei form a group, and also suggest that Megalurus pryeri is part of this group and should therefore be moved to present genus. Race amnicola initially described as a separate species; shows small structural differences (shorter tarsus, shorter ninth primary) from nominate, and molecular-genetic studies suggest that full species rank may be warranted. Two subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * fasciolata (G. R. Gray, 1861) - breeds SC Siberia (from E of upper R Ob’) E to SE Russia (Amurland, Ussuriland) and NE China; non-breeding Philippines, Sulawesi, Moluccas and W New Guinea. * amnicola Stepanyan, 1972 - breeds Sakhalin I, S Kuril Is and N Japan (Hokkaido); non-breeding range poorly established.
Breeds in river- valley meadows, edges of taiga, forest glades and clearings, and bamboo thickest; favours tall rank herbage, grassy thickets, tangles of nettles (Urtica) and shrubbery, and secondary regrowth; mainly in lowland and coastal areas. Mainly in thickets, forest edge and tall grass in non- breeding areas; to 1000 m in Wallacea (Sulawesi).
Insects. Forages among grass stems or deep within bushes.
Breeds mid- Jun to early Jul. Territorial. Nest a large, deep cup of dead leaves and dry grass stems, lined with finer stems, placed on moist soil covered by leaves and twigs, among nettles, by grass clump or under small bush. Clutch 3- 4 eggs; incubation period c. 15 days; nestling period c. 14 days.