GEEAT REED WARBLER 



Asia it breeds in Asia Minor — Tristram says also in Palestine, 

 but this requires confirmation — and seems to pass through 

 Persia on migration ; while to the south it is resident in 

 Algeria, Morocco and Tunis. As a species it is found not 

 only in Transcaspia, Turkestan, the Kirghiz Steppes and 

 Volga mouth in the west, but also in the Argun, the oases 

 of Central Asia, North and Central China, Korea and Japan. 

 These races, however, differ subspecifically. It winters in 

 Africa as far south as the Transvaal and Natal, and migrates 

 through the Malay Peninsula to the Sunda Islands, Andamans,. 

 and Philippines. 



LIFE-HISTORY. 



Of the habits of this species I can add little or nothing 

 that is new, my acquaintance with the bird being limited to 

 occasional visits to its haunts. It is to be found where the 

 common reed grows in profusion, in the dense masses of 

 which it is readily concealed. Arriving at its breeding haunts 

 towards the end of April, it is supposed not to commence 

 reproduction until approximately a month later. No doubt 

 there is a variation in this respect comparable to that which 

 obtains in the case of the Reed Warbler ; some individuals 

 arrive early, and possibly commence to breed without much 

 delay; others may be later, accustomed perhaps to build their 

 nests in the new growth of reeds. Even as late as the second 

 week in June individuals can still be seen busily engaged in 

 the construction of their nest. The powerful song and the 

 comparatively large size of the bird make it a conspicuous 

 figure as it flies from place to place, bending down the reeds 

 with its weight, and tend to impart a measure of boldness to 

 its behaviour, which does not seem to me to be altogether 

 merited. My experience is that the bird is shy and retiring, 

 only too anxious to conceal itself in the jungle of reeds as one 

 approaches it closely. When undisturbed it climbs to the 

 top of some reed, and pours out its peculiar croaking song. 



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