Whistler’s Warbler
Whistler’s Warbler Seicercus whistleri
Etymology:
- Seicercus : Greek word sei-to shake; kerkos- tail
- Whistleri : Named after British naturalist HughWhistler (1889–1943)
Distribution in India: Resident of Himalayas and North East Indian hills.
Description: Size of 11-12cm.The nominate race has median crownstripe green, usually with some thin pale greyish streaks often appearing more grey than green, lateral crownstripe greyish-black, usually fading out on forecrown/forehead ; side of crown below lateral stripe, ear-coverts and lores greyish-green, lores indistinctly yellow-suffused; distinct yellow eyering, sometimes diffuse anteriorly above eye; upperparts greyish-green, upperwing and tail brown-grey with greyish-green feather edges; greater upperwing-coverts usually with pale tips forming distinct thin pale wingbar ; prominent white wedges on inner webs of rectrices; yellow below, variable amount of pale greenish or brownish suffusion on breast side and, often, flanks; iris dark brown; upper mandible blackish, lower mandible pale orange; legs pale greyish-pink.The juvenile lacks grey on median crownstripe.
Habitat: It is found during breeding among lush undergrowth in upper part of cool temperate forest zone, in a mixture of deciduous broadleaf and evergreen broadleaf trees, also in moss-covered bamboo and deciduous scrub in coniferous forest. It reaches to just below upper tree-limit up to. 2775–3500 m.
Food Habits: It eats small insects, especially small beetles, including weevils and larvae. It forages mainly in understorey, but also in canopy of small trees; on average, catching of prey often involves short flights.
Breeding Habits: They breed in May-Aug in India.The nest is domed, made of moss, grass, bamboo leaves, bark fibers, dry pine needles or rootlets, lined with fine moss and lichens, placed on or close to ground. They lay a clutch of 3-4 eggs. The incubation is done by both parents for a period of2 weeks. The fledging period is 2 weeks. The young fed by both parents.