Sichuan bush warbler Archives

The new bird discovered in China was left unnoticed because of its secretive nature, they habitat in dense cover, creep through thick vegetation.

They can only be spotted by its distinctive song.

Sichuan Bush Warbler or Locustella chengi, a new bird species has been discovered by an international research team in China.

There are nearly 70 birds species discovered in China and this adds to the group of native species discovered.

The bird breeds in mountain regions with altitude 1,000 to 2,300 meters. The winter quarters of the bird are unknown because of its secretive nature except when it is singing.

Per Alstrom, professor form Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and co-author of the study.

Alstrom in 1987 while doing a research on Mount Emei in Sichuan province first noticed the song, it consists of harsh note which is followed by a shorter note and repeats the series.

The bird discovered bears close similarity with Russet Bush Warbler, which is found in Southeastern China and from northeast India to northern Southeast Asia.

They understood that the bird was a different species because its song was very distinct from the Russet Bush Warbler’s song.

Since then, Alstrom and his fellow researchers have been measuring and examined the specimens of the Russet Bush Warbler from the global museums. They have analyzed 159 sounds of the 166 sounds recorded.

After they have analyzed the sounds and mitochondrial DNA, they found that they two are different species of bush warbler.

Both the species share their habitat in mountain but Sichuan Bush Warbler prefers lower altitudes.

Two bird species are very closely related, so they are estimated to have come from common ancestors about 850,000 years ago.

There does not appear any threat to Sichuan Bush Warbler as the habitat is still plentiful and they are very common in the area.

Dr Pamela Rasmussen, Michigan State University Museum assistant curator and co-author of the study said, “We wanted to honor Prof Cheng Tso-hsin for his unparalleled contributions to Chinese ornithology. Many species are named for European explorers and monarchs but few bear the names of Asian scientists.”

A new species of bird has been discovered in China.

Sichuan bush warbler is the new bird discovered by the researchers, this bird sings a distinctive song which helped in its discovery.

The Latin name of the bird is Locustella chengi.

Pamela Ramussen, of Michigan State University and from the Natural History Museum at Tring, UK and co-author of the study said, “The Sichuan bush warbler is exceedingly secretive and difficult to spot as its preferred habitat is dense brush and tea plantations. However, it distinguishes itself thanks to its distinctive song that consists of a low-pitched drawn-out buzz, followed by a shorter click, repeated in series.”

The bird is common in central China, and its population is in good numbers and not in danger of extinction as the bird is comfortably living in the region and there are no worries about its future.

The researchers wrote in paper, “We are pleased to name Locustella chengi after the late Professor Cheng Tso-hsin (1906–1998) in recognition of his unparalleled contributions to Chinese ornithology, of which his monumental work A Synopsis of the Avifauna of China is the most widely known outside of China.”

The bird is the closet cousin to Russet bush warbler; both of them are found on mountains.

Sichuan bush warbler resides in lower mountains.

The genetics of the two warblers are very close. Mitochondrial DNA analysis was performed by the researchers and they found that they are very closely related and estimated to have common ancestors around 850,000 years ago.

Pamela said, “We wanted to honor Prof Cheng Tso-hsin for his unparalleled contributions to Chinese ornithology. Many species are named for European explorers and monarchs but few bear the names of Asian scientists.”

It was an international research team who discovered the bird; including the scientists from China, United States, Sweden, United Kingdom and Vietnam.

The findings are published in journal Avian Research.

Scientists have discovered Sichuan Bush Warbler, a new bird species in China

Distinctive call led to the discovery of a new bird species

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