Bristled Grassbird is an Indian bird that bears a scientific name of "Chaetornis striata" concentrated in the Indian states like Assam, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Darjeeling District, West Bengal, Shillong, Nagaland and some upper parts of Bihar.
Category of Bristled Grassbird
Bristled Grassbird is a small passerine bird in the monotypic genus Chaetornis. Also known as the Bristled Grass Warbler, this species is endemic to the Indian states, where it is patchily distributed in India, Pakistan, and Nepal.
Habitat of Bristled Grassbird
Bristled Grassbird insectivorous birds skulk in dense and tall grasslands, often in marshy areas, habitats that are threatened by human activities. Formerly considered to be sedentary, the species may be migratory, moving south and east in the Indian peninsula during winter and returning to their breeding grounds in the northern plains south of the Himalayas.
Structure of Bristled Grassbird
Bristled Grassbird is large and brownish with broad dark streaks to the feathers of the crown and back and can appear almost babbler-like in appearance (easily mistaken for common babbler). The tail is graduated with white tips to the feathers. The rachis of the tail feathers is dark and there are dark ribs to the feathers. The bill is strong. The tarsus is brown and the bill is black with the lower mandible tipped bluish grey. They have a buff supercilium (brow) and have a pale unmarked underside.
Uniqueness of Bristled Grassbird
Bristled Grassbird in the warbler family is distinctive in having a bare patch of skin in front of the eyes (the lores) on which a vertical row of five stiff rictal bristles arise and face forward. The generic name Chaetornis is derived from Greek chaeto for bristles and ornis for bird. The bare skin is flexible and it is thought that the bristles provide protection to the eye as the bird scampers between the dense and rough grass by folding back and forming a kind of cage or visor over the eye. The feathers on the breast are stiff and in some individuals the tips are dark giving it a necklaced appearance. The sexes are similar in plumage.
Concentration of Bristled Grassbird
The concentration of Bristled Grassbird in which the species occurs is tall grass-covered marshlands. The distribution range is mainly in the northern part of the Indian Subcontinent. Formerly described as common in at least Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, Lahore (where they bred in the Rakh area parts of Bangladesh, and Nepal.
Threats to Bristled Grassbird
Bristled Grassbird is threatened by the destruction of grassland and marshland habitats. The species was thought to be mainly sedentary with movements related to the rains but they may be migratory, breeding along the riverine plains south of the Himalayan Mountain Range and wintering further east and south in the peninsula of India.
