An international group comprising scientists from the US, China, Sweden and the UK discovered a new species called Sichuan Bush Warbler in China. This bird shares a close relationship with the Russet Bush Warbler. According to DNA evidence, the two species had a common ancestor dating back 850,000 years.
Five mountainous regions in central China are home to the Sichuan Bush Warbler, Locustella chengi. In the journal Avian research (citation below), scientists stated that this elusive bird had hid in shrubby and grassy vegetation for many years. An adult male Sichuan bush warbler (Locustella chengi).
The distinctive song that gave the bird its identity was what eventually made it disappear, according to Pamela Rasmussen (a visiting assistant professor in zoology and assistant museum curator for mammalogy, ornithology at Michigan State University). Professor Rasmussen has documented and scientifically described 10 new species of bird species. He said that the Sichuan Bush Warbler can be hard to locate, but it’s quite common in central China.
You can hear the bird sing at the MSU Avian Vocalizations Center website, which houses the songs of many birds, including the Russett Bush Warbler. These two types of warblers are found in China on the same mountain ranges. The Sichuan Bush Warbler prefers living at lower elevations.
It breeds at 7 ,500 foot when it is not fighting with the Russett Bush Warbler. In honor of China’s most famous ornithologist Cheng Tsohsin (1906-1998),, who established the Peking Natural History Museum. He also wrote 140 scientific papers as well as 30 books. His dedication to ornithology was well-known worldwide.
He was a member Academia Sinica and Honorary Fellow of American Ornithologists’ Union. (a) and b) Sichuan Bush Warbler and (c) Russet Bush Warbler. Their song is what identifies them. Prof. Rasmussen stated that he wanted to honour Professor Cheng Tsohsin’s outstanding contributions to Chinese ornithology. Many species are named for European explorers and monarchs but few bear the names of Asian scientists.”.
The authors said that Mr. Tso-hsin would have appreciated the international team, led by Per Alstrom from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, and Fumin Lei of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.