Knysna Warbler Bradypterus sylvaticus (Knysna Ruigtesanger)
When the name Knysna Warbler is heard, the following comes up to a birder/photographer's mind: dark, shy, thickets, mouse. Which is definitely true. If you want to know more about this bird and those up for the challenge to find one, I will give a comprehensive "guide" to master the skill of finding Knysna Warblers.
Identification: Small sized bird, overall brown but looks much darker in its dark environment. It has a proportionally large tail, and its overall dark brown skin thus fits the looks of a mouse. Iris is the same colour as the bird although also looks much darker. No other bird creates confusion due to its characteristic call and dark appearance.
Call: Song starts in a "tssip" whistle and is repeated with shortened intervals approximately 16 times where it ends in a bubbling "trrrrrr". Intense calls have less whistles but a much stronger "trrrrrr". Sings from enclosed perch in dense thickets up to 1 meter high and rarely sings from the ground. Calls most often in September-February when breeding takes place. It is most often heard in the mornings up to 11am and at dawn. Birds also make a "prrrrt" contact- or alarm call when in pairs. Please be considerate when using playback on this bird. Birds react strongly on playback used too many times and may lead to birds leaving territories and influence their breeding success. Playback may make the birds call more often and reveal its location, but only one or two times of playback is required.
Habits and behavior: Rarely emerge from thick vegetation where it feeds on the ground by walking and picking up dry leaves, which is similar to that of the Olive Thrushes' feeding strategy, which may be heard if close enough. Also feeds by moving in the understory in one direction <1m up. Only perches horizontally on branches. Also moves up from the ground to vocalize. Bird is very curious and will move to more open areas to inspect the observer which allows good views and photographic opportunities. It may sit for quite some time like this. Birds move in pairs in breeding seasons.
Habitat: Dense thickets along coast especially with drainage lines. Less common in Afromontane Forests and prefer open parts where there is understory development. Preferred state of layers of its habitat:
thicket floor: moist, fertile soils covered by leaf litter.
understory: Thickly intervened bramble thickets. Good understory development is required due to it receiving regular sunlight. This is covered by a roof of leaves which allows little sunlight to move through the understory.
Canopy: In some cases, there are a canopy of trees due to already developed understory or understory vegetation which can tolerate shaded areas.
Where to find: (only Garden Route)
George
-Katrivier SHOW ME
-Garden Route Botanical Garden SHOW ME
Wilderness
-Wilderness National Park, Half-Collared Kingfisher Trail SHOW ME
Sedgefield
-Sedgefield Lagoon SHOW ME
Knysna
-Knysna Heads SHOW ME
-Belvidere Estate footpath SHOW ME
Plettenberg Bay
-Lookout Beach SHOW ME
-Poortjies SHOW ME
-Keurbooms River Lodge SHOW ME
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Written and designed by @Ruven-Schoeman