Sri Lanka Bush Warbler
Encyclopedia
The Sri Lanka Bush Warbler, Ceylon Bush Warbler or Palliser's Warbler (Elaphrornis palliseri) is an Old World warbler
which is an endemic
resident breeder in Sri Lanka
, where it is the only bush warbler
. The Sri Lanka Bush Warbler has sometimes been placed in the genus Bradypterus
; it appears to be closely related to that genus, but differs in structure (relatively shorter-tailed and longer-billed), plumage (unmarked) and song. It is monotypic
.
The Sri Lanka Bush Warbler is a bird
of dense forest undergrowth, often close to water. It is found in the highlands of central Sri Lanka
, usually above 1200 m. The nest is built in a shrub, and two egg
s are laid.
This is a medium-large warbler at 14 cm. The adult has a plain brown back, pale grey underparts, a broad tail and short wings. There is a weak supercilium, and the throat is tinged orange. The sexes are identical, as with most warblers, but young birds lack the throat colouration.
The Sri Lanka Bush Warbler is a skulky species which can very difficult to see. Perhaps the best site is Horton Plains National Park
. It keeps low in vegetation, and, like most warblers, it is insectivorous.
Males are often only detected by the loud song, which has an explosive queet.
Old World warbler
The "Old World Warblers" is the name used to describe a large group of birds formerly grouped together in the bird family Sylviidae. The family held over 400 species in over 70 genera, and were the source of much taxonomic confusion. Two families were split out initially, the cisticolas into...
which is an endemic
Endemic (ecology)
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...
resident breeder in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, where it is the only bush warbler
Bush warbler
Bush-warblers are small insectivorous songbirds belonging to the genera Cettia and Bradypterus. They were formerly placed in the "wastebin" Old World warbler family...
. The Sri Lanka Bush Warbler has sometimes been placed in the genus Bradypterus
Bradypterus
Bradypterus is a genus of small insectivorous songbirds in the newly recognized grass warbler family . They were formerly placed in the Sylviidae, which at that time was a wastebin taxon for the warbler-like Sylvioidea...
; it appears to be closely related to that genus, but differs in structure (relatively shorter-tailed and longer-billed), plumage (unmarked) and song. It is monotypic
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
.
The Sri Lanka Bush Warbler is a bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
of dense forest undergrowth, often close to water. It is found in the highlands of central Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, usually above 1200 m. The nest is built in a shrub, and two egg
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
s are laid.
This is a medium-large warbler at 14 cm. The adult has a plain brown back, pale grey underparts, a broad tail and short wings. There is a weak supercilium, and the throat is tinged orange. The sexes are identical, as with most warblers, but young birds lack the throat colouration.
The Sri Lanka Bush Warbler is a skulky species which can very difficult to see. Perhaps the best site is Horton Plains National Park
Horton Plains National Park
Horton Plains National Park is a protected area in the central highlands of Sri Lanka and is covered by montane grassland and cloud forest. This plateau at an altitude of is rich in biodiversity and many species found here are endemic to the region. This region was designated a national park in...
. It keeps low in vegetation, and, like most warblers, it is insectivorous.
Males are often only detected by the loud song, which has an explosive queet.