Birds Around Me 0180 - Booted warbler (Hippolais caligata) or Blyth's reed warbler (Acrocephalus dumetorum)



This warbler gave me an identification headache, still not sure and convinced whether it is the Booted Warbler (Hippolais caligata) or  Blyth's reed warbler (Acrocephalus dumetorum). Looks so similar to Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler & Paddyfield Warbler. Initially, I had confusion between - Chiffchaff, Bylths Reed Warbler & Paddyfield Warbler, first two confused me when I read through the description and 3rd because of surroundings because loads of paddy field around. I have added discussion points/comments from fellow birders on twitter (@BirdaAroundMe). 

1. Paddyfield Warbler eliminated has distinct eye-stripe, missing the picture eliminated because of missing supercilium.

2. Willow Warbler eliminated as it is not found in Jabalpur, Central India (Vivek Menon / @vivek4wild).

3. Chiffchaff eliminated because of colour of legs, Chiffchaff has darker legs and Booted Warbler has pale grey - pinkish legs (pankaj singh / @pankajsinghPHO)

4. Possible warblers with brown coat and no wing bars in geography 
1. Blyth's Reed 
2. Booted 
3. Common chiffchaff. 
Indistinct supercillium behind eyes. Tip of beak is long and uniformly coloured, points to Blyths Always use elimination method for warblers. Second pic in this has distinct supercilium behind eyes (Siddartha / @siddisimple).

5. And another fellow birder Brian Stretch (@BRStretch) suggested,  it is a Booted Warbler - note the quite short primary projection, shortish bill, overall pale brown plumage and pale legs (if you are relying on Grimmett/Inskipp field guide, illustration is incorrect, Booted have paler legs, not dark like Chiffchaff).  



Booted Warbler (Hippolais caligata) or Blyth's reed warbler (Acrocephalus dumetorum)
Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India
April 2017

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