Taiwan Bush Warbler (Locustella alishanensis) [XC567576]
by Sunny Tseng from Dasyeushan Forest Reserve, Taiwan (song)
Taiwan Bush Warbler (Locustella alishanensis) [XC636672]
by Jerome Chie-Jen Ko from , Taiwan (call)
Subspecies
No subspecies.
Part of a species complex that also includes Brown Grasshopper-warbler (Locustella luteoventris), Russet Grasshopper-warbler (Locustella mandelli), Benguet Grasshopper-warbler (Locustella seebohmi), Sunda Grasshopper-warbler (Locustella montis) and Timor Bush-Warbler (Locustella timorensis) and some or all are often treated as conspecific. First collected in 1917, but for long assumed to be a representative of subspecies melanorhynchus of Russet Grasshopper-warbler (Locustella mandelli). Several fieldworkers, however, had remarked on its unusual song, which prompted research and the discovery of a number of morphological differences, including bill structure, foot size (large), wing formula and dull brown plumage. It was finally described as a "new" species in 2000.