Sykes’s Warbler
Sykes’s Warbler Iduna rama
Etymology:
- Iduna : no specific meaning, most probable one is named after Norse goddess Iðunn
- Rama: Hindu god Lord Rama, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu
Distribution in India: Breeds in North West and widespread winter visitor in India.
Description: Size of 11-12cm.It is a small Hippolais with fairly long, thin, pointed bill, flat forehead and crown, and rather long tail enhanced by short primary projection. It has short whitish supercilium generally ending at rear end of eye; whitish eyering, rather pale lores; pale greyish-brown above, in certain lights appearing to have faint olive tinge on head and mantle; tertials and greater upperwing-coverts rather uniformly brownish, lacking strong contrasts between dark centers and pale edges; primaries rather uniformly brown, and secondary fringes only marginally paler; tail with diffusely paler edges and tips of outer feathers; mainly off-white below, very faint buff hue on breast side and flanks; iris dark brown; upper mandible greyish, lower mandible pinkish yellow and usually with faint dark “smudge” near tip; legs pale greyish pink, toes often slightly darker and greyer.Both the sexes are alike. The immature resembles adult.
Habitat: It is found in sand or clay deserts and semi-deserts with scattered vegetation, avoids steppe habitats and areas of only low scrub. It occurs also in mangroves. Sometimes nests in orchards and gardens.
Food Habits: It eats small insects, especially small beetles, including weevils and larvae. It usually forages food items from leaves and twigs while energetically searching the canopy; will visit ground to seek prey, but usually only briefly each time. Twitches tail upwards or to side, rarely downwards, when feeding and moving about.
Breeding Habits: They breed in April-July in India.The nest is a well-built cup of plant stems, roots and soft twigs, lined with plant down and fur, placed in fork of branch or dense undergrowth. They lay a clutch of 4-6eggs. The incubation is done by female for a period of12-14 days. The fledging period is 12-14 days. The young fed by both parents.