The Bougainville bush warbler or odedi is a bird species initially placed in the "Old World warbler" assemblage, but nowadays moved with its congeners to the new cettiid warbler family.
Region
Solomon Islands archipelago (northern portion)
Typical Environment
Endemic to Bougainville Island, where it inhabits dense hill and montane rainforest. It favors tangled understory, thickets, and bamboo or fern-rich slopes, often near forest edges, gaps, and along small streams. The species is most frequently encountered in secondary growth adjoining mature forest, where cover is dense. It avoids open habitats and plantations with sparse shrub layers.
Altitude Range
600–1800 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also known locally as the odedi, the Bougainville bush warbler is a secretive understory songbird restricted to Bougainville Island. It was formerly grouped within the broad 'Old World warblers' but is now placed in the Cettiidae (bush warblers) with its congeners. Its presence is often detected by its sharp, ringing song rather than by sight. The species was only described to science in the early 2000s, reflecting how elusive it is in dense montane thickets.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low over or within dense cover
Social Behavior
Typically encountered singly or in pairs, maintaining small territories in dense understory. Nests are placed low in thick vegetation, with both adults remaining close and secretive during breeding. Displays consist of singing from concealed perches and brief chases through thickets.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song is a sharp, ringing series of metallic notes and trills delivered from deep cover, often repeated in steady phrases. Calls include thin tseet and dry tick notes used during contact and alarm.
Plumage
Plain, soft-textured plumage; olive-brown above with warmer rufous tones on the tail and wings, paler buffy underparts with slight gray wash on the breast. Subtle but distinct pale eyebrow and slightly darker lores. Longish, graduated tail often held cocked and flicked in cover.
Diet
Feeds primarily on small insects and other arthropods, gleaned from leaves, stems, and the forest floor. It probes among dead leaves, moss, and vine tangles, snapping up spiders, beetles, and caterpillars. Occasionally takes tiny snails or other invertebrates and may opportunistically pick small berries.
Preferred Environment
Forages in dense understory, vine tangles, bamboo patches, and along shady stream margins. Often works just above ground level to mid-understory, remaining within heavy cover.
