The Javan tesia is a species of Old World warbler in the family Cettiidae. It is endemic to Java in Indonesia. The Javan tesia is a small tesia with long legs and almost no tail. It feeds on insects in the undergrowth of broadleaf forest.
Region
Java (Greater Sundas)
Typical Environment
Endemic to the island of Java, it inhabits primary and secondary broadleaf forest with dense undergrowth. It is frequently found along forest edges, ravines, and streamside thickets, and readily uses bamboo and fern tangles. The species prefers shaded, humid microhabitats where leaf litter and low foliage provide abundant prey. It is largely absent from open areas and heavily disturbed lowlands, persisting best in intact or semi-intact hill and montane forests.
Altitude Range
300–2000 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This tiny, near-tailless warbler spends most of its time in dense undergrowth, where its long legs help it hop nimbly through leaf litter and low vegetation. It is notoriously skulking but reveals itself with a sharp, tinkling song. The bold white eyebrow (supercilium) is a key field mark. It often joins mixed-species flocks, especially in montane forest.
Temperament
skulking but active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low fluttering flights
Social Behavior
Usually solitary or in pairs while foraging close to the ground, and sometimes accompanies mixed-species flocks in the understory. Territorial during the breeding season. Nests are typically domed or ball-shaped structures placed very low in dense cover.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A bright, tinkling series of high-pitched notes delivered in rapid succession from concealed perches. Calls include sharp ticks and thin seep notes used in contact and alarm.
Plumage
Olive-green upperparts with paler, buffy underparts and a whitish throat; very short tail giving a rounded, compact look. Prominent white supercilium contrasts with a darker eye-stripe; wings are dusky-olive. Long, pale legs are conspicuous when it hops through undergrowth.
Diet
Feeds primarily on small insects and other arthropods, including beetles, ants, caterpillars, and spiders. It gleans prey from leaf litter, low foliage, and mossy stems, and will probe among dead leaves and bamboo sheaths. Foraging is active, with frequent hops and short dashes through dense cover.
Preferred Environment
Dense understory of humid broadleaf forest, often near streams, ravines, and bamboo or fern thickets. It keeps to shaded microhabitats where prey is abundant and cover is continuous.
