| Sri Lanka bush warbler | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) | |
| InHorton Plains, Sri Lanka | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Locustellidae |
| Genus: | Elaphrornis Legge, 1879 |
| Species: | E. palliseri |
| Binomial name | |
| Elaphrornis palliseri (Blyth, 1851) | |
| Synonyms | |
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TheSri Lanka bush warbler (Elaphrornis palliseri), also known asCeylon bush warbler orPalliser's warbler, is anOld World warbler which is anendemic resident breeder in Sri Lanka, where it is the onlybush warbler.
The Sri Lanka bush warbler has sometimes been placed in the genusBradypterus and a 2018 study confirms that it is a sister to the clade that contains theBradypterus andMegalurus warblers;[2] it appears to be closely related to that genus, but differs in structure (relatively shorter-tailed and longer-billed), plumage (unmarked) and song. It ismonotypic.[3] The species is named after the collector Captain Edward Palliser (1826-1907). Edward and his brother Fred Palliser were both collectors in Sri Lanka. The species was described byKelaart but published byEdward Blyth in 1851.[4]
The Sri Lanka bush warbler is abird of dense forest undergrowth, often close to water. It is found in the highlands of centralSri Lanka, usually above 1200 m. The nest is built in a shrub, and twoeggs 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 skulking species which can be very difficult to see. Perhaps the best site isHorton Plains National Park. It keeps low in vegetation and, like most warblers, it isinsectivorous.
Males are often only detected by the loud song, which has an explosivequeet.
