Appearance:

A long-tailed and relatively long-winged Locustella, with olive-brown plumage and pale belly. Conspicuously broad, rounded tail, and substantial vent. Under tail coverts brown with with prominent pale fringes, and almost reaches tail tip. Faintly streaked throat and breast. Rump and tail warmer brown than back. Faint and short supercilium and pale eye-ring. First long primary with pale outer web, and a slight curve. Song-posts often more exposed than Grasshopper Warbler.

Sound:

Song an insectlike, buzzing like Grasshopper and Savi's Warbler, but easily distinguished from those by it's distinct steam locomotive-like rhythm. About 8 accents per second. Perhaps easier to confuse with certain species of ground crickets or cicadas than it's congeners. Contact call a sharp "tsikk-tsikk", similar to Savi's Warbler.

Song:

Distribution:

Xeno-canto: map

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

Appearance:

Glossy black hood and plain, pale brown upperparts. Cheeks brownish towards nape. Small, rounded, black bib. Small pale spot on base of upper mandible (often surprisingly visible, despite small size). Very similar to Willow Tit, especially British sub.sp. Willow tit has bigger head, not so glossy cap, whiter cheeks, larger bib and pale wing panel.

Sound:

Most easily identified by sound. Especially in areas where plumage is less distinct compared to Willow Tit, like in Britain. Most typical call an explosive, sneeze-like "pee-choo", starting high-pitched and ending on a lower note.

Also calls "chaa chaa chaa" but not so nasal and drawn-out as willow tit. Song: A simple one or two note call repeated in series. Usually rising slightly in pitch, and with a "liquid" quality. Sometimes also a ringing, vibrating song. Generally has a much sharper tone than the soft song of willow tit. Other calls: Various high pitched sound. Often quite explosive.

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC