Submission No. 549: Oriental Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus orientalis West Island, Ashmore Reef, 25 - 26 October 2007. (Unpublished) Submitted by: Nigel Harland, Rohan Clarke & Richard Loyn.

 

Verdict:  Accepted

 

This submission relates to the sighting of an Oriental Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus orientalis found on West Island, Ashmore Reef, on 25 October 2007, and seen again the following day. 

 

Although the bird was difficult to observe due to its skulking nature, it appeared to big for and Australian (Clamourous) Reed-Warbler and displayed a long and robust bill that was thought to be too large for that species.  The pale tips to the retrices and the fine dark streaks on the throat and breast are features considered to be diagnostic of the Oriental Reed-Warbler. 

 

Based on the description and the extensive experience of the observers, seven of the eight members voted in favour of acceptance of this difficult species, making this record the 8th to be accepted by BARC.  This species is now reported annually at this locality.

 

 

References and Bibliography:

 

  • Anon, (1994), ‘Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus’, Birder, 8(8), 46-51, (in Japanese).    
  • Coates, B.J. & Bishop, K.D. (1997), A Guide to the Birds of Wallacea, Dove, Alderley, Queensland.
  • Cramp, S. (ed.) (1992), The Birds of the Western Palearctic, Vol. VI, Warblers, Oxford University Press, Oxford.
  • Johnstone, R.E. & Storr, G.M. (2004), Handbook of Western Australian Birds, Vol. 2, Passerines, Western Australian Museum, Perth.
  • Kanouchi, T., Abe, N. & Ueda, H. (1998), Wild Birds of Japan, Yama-Kei, Tokyo (in Japanese).
  • MacKinnon, J. & Phillipps, K. (1993), A Field Guide to the Birds of Borneo, Sumatra, Java and Bali, Oxford University Press, Oxford.
  • Robson, C. (2000), A Field Guide to the Birds of South-East Asia, New Holland, London.
  • Shirihai, H., Roselaar, C.S., Helbig, A.J., Barthel, P.H. & van Loon, A.J. (1995), ‘Identification andTaxonomy of large Acrocephalus warblers’, Dutch Birding, 17, 229-239. 
  • Schodde, R. & Mason, I.J. (1999) The Directory of Australian Birds, Passerines, CSIRO, Melbourne.

 

 

 

Tony Palliser

Chairman, Birds Australia Rarities Committee