Locustella fluviatilis

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Archosauromorpha
Cladus: Crurotarsi
Divisio: Archosauria
Cladus: Avemetatarsalia
Cladus: Ornithodira
Subtaxon: Dinosauromorpha
Cladus: Dinosauriformes
Cladus: Dracohors
Cladus: Dinosauria
Cladus: Saurischia
Cladus: Eusaurischia
Subordo: Theropoda
Cladus: Neotheropoda
Cladus: Averostra
Cladus: Tetanurae
Cladus: Avetheropoda
Cladus: Coelurosauria
Cladus: Tyrannoraptora
Cladus: Maniraptoromorpha
Cladus: Maniraptoriformes
Cladus: Maniraptora
Cladus: Pennaraptora
Cladus: Paraves
Cladus: Eumaniraptora
Cladus: Avialae
Infraclassis: Aves
Cladus: Avebrevicauda
Cladus: Pygostylia
Cladus: Ornithothoraces
Cladus: Ornithuromorpha
Cladus: Carinatae
Parvclassis: Neornithes
Cohors: Neognathae
Cladus: Neoaves
Cladus: Telluraves
Cladus: Australaves
Ordo: Passeriformes
Subordo: Passeri
Infraordo: Passerida
Superfamilia: Sylvioidea

Familia: Locustellidae
Genus: Locustella
Species: Locustella fluviatilis
Name

Locustella fluviatilis (Wolf, 1810)
References

Wolf, J. 1810. Taschenbuch der deutschen Vogelkund 1: 229

Vernacular names
aragonés: Carrasclís de río
čeština: Cvrčilka říční
dansk: Flodsanger
Deutsch: Schlagschwirl
English: River Warbler
español: Buscarla fluvial
suomi: Viitasirkkalintu
հայերեն: Ճռիկահավ գետային
italiano: Locustella fluviatile
latviešu: Upes ķauķis
norsk: Elvesanger
polski: Strumieniówka
русский: Речной сверчок
slovenčina: Svrčiak riečny
svenska: Flodsångare
Türkçe: Ağaç kamışçını

The river warbler (Locustella fluviatilis) is an Old World warbler in the grass warbler genus Locustella. It breeds in eastern and central Europe, and into the western Palearctic. It is migratory, wintering in inland southern Africa, from around the Zambezi River south to the vicinity of Pretoria in South Africa. The genus name Locustella is from Latin and is a diminutive of locusta, "grasshopper".[2] This refers to the song of the common grasshopper warbler and some others in this genus.[3] The specific fluviatilis is Latin for "of a river".[2]

This small passerine bird is a species found in dense deciduous vegetation close to water in bogs or near a river. Five to seven eggs are laid in a nest in a tussock or on the ground. This species is a rare vagrant to western Europe. In Britain, a small number of males have set up territories in spring, including a bird in Greater Manchester in 1995.[4] One exceptional vagrant was photographed in Gambell, Alaska, in October 2017.[5]

This is a largish warbler. The adult has an unstreaked grey-brown back, whitish grey underparts, and a darker undertail, which has white feather tips giving a contrasting pattern. The sexes are identical, as with most warblers, but young birds are yellower below. Like most warblers, it is insectivorous.

Some birds can show reduced dark markings on the undertail coverts (caused by more extensive than usual white tips) and thus are closer in appearance to Savi's warbler than typical river warblers. However, they typically still have a streaked breast and more olive colouration on the upperparts.[6]

This is a skulking species which is very difficult to see except sometimes when singing. It creeps through grass and low foliage.

The song is a monotonous mechanical insect-like reeling, often given at dusk. It is similar to the song of other species in the group, but has more of a sewing machine quality, and may be produced for long periods.
References

BirdLife International (2017). "Locustella fluviatilis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T22714679A111075343. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-1.RLTS.T22714679A111075343.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
Jobling, James A (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. pp. 162, 229. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
"Grasshopper". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
Alker, Peter (1995) The River Warbler in Greater Manchester Birding World 8(6):216-7
Benter, Brad (2017-10-08). "North America's first River Warbler". Alaska Rare Bird Alert. Retrieved 2017-10-08.
Normaja, Jyrki (1994) Plumage variation in River Warblers Birding World 7(5): 192-5