Sylviid warblers · Perching birds
Asian Desert Warbler
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Curruca nana
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How to recognize it
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Body length 11.5–12.5 cm
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Pale yellowish grey above, ochre-white below
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White stripes along the sides of the tail; yellow iris, yellowish bill and legs
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Active, often feeds on the ground
About the species
Pale grey-brown above and whitish underneath, it can look almost sand-colored at a distance. Its wings and tail are browner, with white stripes along the sides of the tail; up close, the yellowish bill, light yellow-brown legs and yellow eye add finer details. The sexes look much alike.
It often searches for food on the ground, unlike most warblers. Its song has a bright, jingling quality, mixing clear notes with rougher ones, and often comes during a display flight. It also gives a quieter rattling call.
It breeds in semi-desert and dry steppe, from the Volga Delta east across central Asia, where low bushes provide nesting sites. It eats insects and small berries, then moves south for winter to similar dry habitats from Arabia to northwestern India and along the Red Sea coast of northeastern Africa.
Where to find
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In the steppes north of the Caspian, listen for a bright song during an advertisement flight.
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In semi-desert with shrubs, look for the Asian Desert Warbler feeding on insects near the ground.
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In desert shrub thickets and saxaul stands, listen for a quiet rattling call among the bushes.
