Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler
Streifenschwirl ( Locustella certhiola )
The Streifenschwirl ( Locustella certhiola ) is a passerine bird of the genus Schwirle ( Locustella ) and the family of the warbler -like ( Sylviidae ). We distinguish several subspecies.
Although his breeding areas are thousands of miles away from Europe, the Streifenschwirl is very rarely observed as Irrgast in Europe. Observations from the last two decades of the 20th century there were in Belgium, the Netherlands, Great Britain, Poland and Ireland.
Description
The good 13 centimeters measured bird reminds in his plumage coloration in the sedge warbler. Rump and upper tail feathers are rust- brown with some dark dotting and stand out clearly from the gray-brown tail. The faint cross bands of the tail widens to a dark terminal band. In fresh plumage an indistinct lighter bottom seams of the tail is visible.
The under tail-coverts have a yellow -brown color, the back is striped and usually darker than the grasshopper warbler, the underside is grauweißlich. Young birds often show a yellowish coloration of the breast and sides of the body and a substrate formed of indistinct dark spots chest band.
His singing begins wetzend, followed by a short " rue - rue - rue " follows, which ends with a reed singer -like verse. In winter quarters he calls " tschirr - trschirr ".
Distribution and habitat
The Streifenschwirl inhabited Siberia and Central and East Asia. He is a long-distance migrant, whose winter quarters are in the front and rear of India. Chance he wintered on the Great Sunda Islands. The exodus of Siberia begins in August and lasts until the end of September. The return migration begins from early May. He excelled in his Siberian breeding areas until the end of May beginning of June.
The Streifenschwirl behaves inconspicuously in the way of Schwirle and inhabits moist, marshy meadows with tall grass and shrubbery. Even in winter it is in swampy areas, to find, for example, in rice fields.