The Manchurian bush warbler, also known as Korean bush warbler, is a bird in the family Cettiidae. The species was first described by Robert Swinhoe in 1860. It is found and known to breed in northeastern China.
Region
Northeast Asia
Typical Environment
Breeds primarily in northeastern China and across the Korean Peninsula, occupying thickets, forest edges, shrubby riverbanks, and reed-fringed wetlands. In the non-breeding season it shifts south within eastern China, following dense undergrowth and brushy habitats. It favors low, tangled vegetation where it can move unseen, often near water but also in dry scrub. Wintering birds use secondary growth and hedgerows in agricultural mosaics.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1800 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also called the Korean bush warbler, this skulking songbird stays low in dense shrubs, where it is more often heard than seen. Its loud, explosive song helps males defend territories in breeding season. The species was first described by Robert Swinhoe in 1860 and belongs to the bush warbler family Cettiidae.
Temperament
secretive and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with low, fluttering flights
Social Behavior
Mostly solitary or in pairs during breeding, holding small, dense territories. The cup nest is placed low in thick cover; the female likely leads nest construction while both parents feed young. Outside breeding, individuals remain elusive and rarely form large flocks, though loose associations can occur in good habitat.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
Song is loud, explosive, and metallic, delivered from hidden perches in repeated phrases. Calls include sharp ticking notes and short, dry chips used for contact and alarm.
Plumage
Plain, soft brown-olive upperparts with warmer rufous tones in the tail; underparts buffy to grayish with a paler throat. Subtle but evident pale supercilium and diffuse cheeks; long undertail coverts and often cocked tail.
Diet
Feeds chiefly on small insects and other arthropods such as beetles, caterpillars, spiders, and flies. It gleans prey from leaves, twigs, and the ground in dense cover. In colder months it may supplement with small seeds or berries when insects are scarce.
Preferred Environment
Forages in low, tangled shrubs, reedbeds, and scrubby forest edges, usually within a meter or two of the ground. Often works along stream margins, ditches, and hedgerows where cover is continuous.
