The brown fantail warbler is a common summer migratory bird in the Taishan area, generally moving in early May and starting to move away in mid-to-late September. The brown fantail warbler is only about 10 cm long, small in size, low-key in plumage, and is easy to ignore at other times except for the frequent calls during the breeding period.
(Brown fantail warbler)
The brown fantail warbler inhabits wheat fields near the water and in the open grassland scrub on both sides of the Wen River. Generally, the breeding period begins in mid-May, and the male or female birds fly in the air while calling, flying higher and higher, and then falling on the top of the bushes or reeds and thatch to continue to chirp, chase and play, gradually form a mate, and start nesting.
The breeding period of brown fantail warblers in Taishan is generally from May to August (broods are also occasionally seen in September), nesting in wheat fields and grasses, and fixed on wheat straw or white thatch stalks. The nest is bag-shaped and opens on the upper side. The nesting process is: first the filamentous soft hairs of the white grass ear are mixed with the oral mucus to form the outer layer of the bag nest, then the inner bottom and side wall of the nest are built with the white grass silky soft hairs and the dead roots of some grass, and then a layer of white grass filamentous soft hairs is built on the inner surface of the nest, so that a pouch nest with a thick bottom, thin walls and small neck is built.
The nest of the brown fantail warbler is very hidden. The nest height is generally 85-120 mm, the inner diameter is about 30-60 mm, the nest depth is 75-100 mm, and the ground is 150-200 mm. Male and female nest together, usually about 6 days to complete.
After the nest is built, eggs are laid, usually 1 per day, and each nest usually lays 4 to 6 eggs; occasionally there are as few as 3 and as many as 8. The eggs are white or pale bluish white, covered with reddish-brown or purple-red spots, and the size of the eggs is 13.8 to 16.8 mm× 10.2 to 12.3 mm. After the female lays the last egg, the egg begins to be incubated, and the male and female take turns to incubate the eggs, the incubation period is about 10 days, the brooding period is about 12 days, and the male and female jointly brood. The breeding period is animal food, commonly known as Lepidoptera, Coleoptera and other insects.
(Young birds of the year they began to live independently)
Beginning in late September, brown fantail warblers began to migrate to the south for the winter. The brown fantail warbler is also included in the "List of Terrestrial Wild Animals with Important Ecological, Scientific and Social Value Protected by the State".
Photo/Text: Liu Zhaorui
Editor: Taishan Mountain Scenic Area Rong Media Center Liu Bei
Review: Taishan Mountain Scenic Area Rong Media Center Fan Hongliang
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