Passeriformes / Locustellidae / Helopsaltes
Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler
Helopsaltes certhiola · 小蝗莺
Introduction
Old World warbler in the genus Helopsaltes. Breeds in the eastern Palearctic and migrates to wintering grounds from India eastward to Indonesia. Inhabits tall grass with thicker vegetation, usually close to water in bogs or wet meadows. Lays 4 to 7 eggs in a ground nest.
Description
Medium-sized warbler. Adult has a streaked brown back and whitish grey underparts, unstreaked except on the undertail. Sexes are identical; young birds are yellower below. Slightly larger than the common grasshopper warbler, with white tips to the tail and tertial feathers and a warmer brown rump.
Identification
Distinguished from the common grasshopper warbler by slightly larger size, white tips to tail and tertial feathers, and warmer brown rump. Song is an inventive Acrocephalus-like melody, not the mechanical insect-like reeling typical of some Locustella warblers.
Distribution & Habitat
Breeds in the eastern Palearctic: Altai Mountains, Mongolia, Transbaikalia, northeastern China, Korean Peninsula, Sakhalin, and Kuril Islands. Migratory, wintering from India eastward to Indonesia. Rare migrant in Sri Lanka and rare vagrant to western Europe, with regular occurrences on Fair Isle, Shetland.
Behavior & Ecology
Skulking species that creeps through grass and low foliage, making it difficult to see except when singing. Insectivorous. Nests on the ground in grass.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Taxonomy
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Locustellidae
- Genus
- Helopsaltes
Taxonomy Changes
Locustella certhiola → Helopsaltes certhiola
Genus transfer — GBIF Backbone Taxonomy uses the former name; AviList 2025 uses the current name.
Vocalizations
Subspecies (5)
-
Helopsaltes certhiola centralasiae
breeds southeastern Siberia to northeastern China; winters to Andaman and Nicobar islands
Data Sources
Species description from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Bird images and sounds sourced from GBIF, contributed by citizen scientists worldwide under Creative Commons licenses.
Taxonomy data from AviList 2025.
