Blyth's Reed Warbler/Belgaum#1

[Praveen Siddannavar]

Shot this in my garden at my Belgaum residence, during Diwali vacations. I noticed that there about 5 birds species resident in our garden, the Purple Sunbirds, Common Tailor Birds, Warblers, the Grey Tits & the Red Vented Bulbul's.

Camera Model Canon EOS 7D, 500mm
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/400
Av( Aperture Value ) 4
ISO 400
Focal length 500mm
Cropped
Support of window rod

[Satishchandra Ranadive]

Nice photograph,Praveen.
It looks like Greenish Leaf Warbler.

[Praveen Siddannavar]

Thanks Satish, the id is still confusing between Blyth's Reed or Greenish Leaf Warbler. Let's wait for other members to comments and then we will make the final call.

[Mrudul Godbole]

Cute bird. The eye contact and the perch is nice. Good details.

I think it is Blyth's Reed Warbler. It was quite difficult to make the difference between the Blyth's Reed or Greenish Leaf Warbler.

As per the 'Birds of India' by Krys Kazmierczak, I am quoting the description of the Blyth's Reed Warbler -

"Fairly uniform greyish-olive upperparts without contrasting rump; diffuse supercilium fairly obvious in front of eye but short and diffuse behind the eye;without dark border above; longer primary projection; greyish legs.

[Sabyasachi Patra]

I am not good at identifying warblers. So I checked the Birds of South Asia, The Ripley Guide by Pamela C. Rasmussen and John C. Anderton.

Blyth's Reed-warbler: Acrocephalus dumetorum: Small and olivaceous with longish bill and mostly pale lower mandible, flattish forehead and indistinct brow broadest on lores; below, whitish throat and very long undertail-coverts (pale brown with paler tips). Longer primary projection than similar species except European; less buffy below than paddyfield and Blunt-winged.

In this image, the forehead doesn't appear flattish and the rest all appear to match.

Greenish Warbler: Phylloscopus trochiloides
Mid-sized with dull olive upperparts, pale lower mandible, and strong brow, eyeline and single wing-bar; most similar to worn Bright-green. Paler than nominate Greenish, with dull whittish unmottled underparts, olive-tinged flanks and yellowish belly, and weaker face pattern.
In this image, I dont see the single wing-bar and the brow is not strong.

In the image, the bird is not parallel to the frame and hence we can't see the tail. I would tend to go with Blyth's.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi

[Praveen Siddannavar]

Mrudul and Sabyasachi thanks for taking pain in providing more info on this bird. I am now convinced and will go with Blyth's Reed Warbler.