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Migrating Black-browed Reed-warbler in Perak, Malaysia

on 15th June 2014

“This post is a culmination of 6 visits to the same site over the past 2.5 months. I have been trying to get to know reed-warblers better and have identified a location where three different migrant species have wintered – the Pallas’s Grasshopper-warbler (Locustella certhiola), Black-browed Reed-warbler (Acrocephalus bistrigiceps) (above, below) and the Oriental Reed-warbler (Acrocephalus orientalis).

“The location is a vast one with many, large ex-mining pools and must house many such warblers. But in a smaller section, about a quarter of a football field, these three have co-existed although they have taken different parts of the habitat. As we are aware they are hard to observe and extremely shy.

“The Black-browed Reed Warbler is the easiest of the three to watch as it occupies the Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) that covers a pond. It will appear briefly, then disappear into the Water Hyacinth growth, and reappear some distance away as if by magic. It has the ability to move below the surface of the growth with hardly any surface vegetation movement.

“After my fifth visit I recognised that there were two of them and on the 6th visit saw some conflict behaviour when one got close to the other. I heard calls intermittently (in local literature, Wells 2007, calls have not been described in the region) and have recorded them previously. A run of chittering sounds or single ‘chits’. I have posted sound records previous and will post a sonogram this time (above). Calls are made when disturbed suddenly or in conflict as shown HERE and HERE

Dato’ Dr Amar-Singh HSS
Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
15th March 2013

Location: Tambun Interior, Perak, Malaysia
Habitat: Fish farming, ex-mining pools, limestone hills nearby

If you like this post please tap on the Like button at the left bottom of page. Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors/contributors, and are not endorsed by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM, NUS) or its affiliated institutions. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion before making any decisions or judgements based on the information presented.

YC Wee

Dr Wee played a significant role as a green advocate in Singapore through his extensive involvement in various organizations and committees: as Secretary and Chairman for the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch), and with the Nature Society (Singapore) as founding President (1978-1995). He has also served in the Nature Reserve Board (1987-1989), Nature Reserves Committee (1990-1996), National Council on the Environment/Singapore Environment Council (1992-1996), Work-Group on Nature Conservation (1992) and Inter-Varsity Council on the Environment (1995-1997). He is Patron of the Singapore Gardening Society and was appointed Honorary Museum Associate of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) in 2012. In 2005, Dr Wee started the Bird Ecology Study Group. With more than 6,000 entries, the website has become a valuable resource consulted by students, birdwatchers and researchers locally and internationally. The views and opinions expressed in this article are his own, and do not represent those of LKCNHM, the National University of Singapore or its affiliated institutions.

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