Rand's warbler is a species in the family Bernieridae. It is found only in Madagascar, where it is restricted to the island's eastern rainforests. It is grey above and unmarked pale below, with a strong pale supercilium. The bill is strong and slightly decurved, with some individuals possessing a pale orange lower mandible.
Region
Eastern Madagascar
Typical Environment
Occurs along the humid eastern slope of Madagascar in evergreen rainforest from lowlands into montane foothills. It favors dense understory and midstory strata, especially along forest streams and in vine tangles. The species tolerates lightly degraded and secondary forest edges but is most frequent in intact forest. It is typically inconspicuous, moving methodically through shaded cover.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1600 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Rand's warbler is a Malagasy endemic in the family Bernieridae, restricted to the island’s eastern rainforests. It often joins mixed-species flocks and forages quietly in the understory, where its plain plumage makes it easy to overlook. The species has a strong, slightly decurved bill for probing curled leaves and mossy tangles. Its name reflects its resemblance to white-eyes (Zosterops) while not being closely related.
Temperament
active and somewhat skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats through dense understory
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly, in pairs, or small family groups, frequently associating with mixed-species flocks. Nests are placed low to midheight in dense vegetation within rainforest. Breeding likely occurs during the austral spring–summer when insect prey is most abundant. Territorial behavior is subdued outside the breeding season.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A thin, high-pitched series of chips and short trills delivered from cover. Calls include soft tsit or seep notes used to keep contact within pairs or flocks.
Plumage
Plain grey to grey-olive upperparts with unmarked pale whitish underparts and a clean, smooth texture; overall very little patterning aside from the eyebrow.
Diet
Primarily small arthropods such as insects, larvae, and spiders gleaned from foliage, dead leaves, and mossy branches. It probes curled leaves and suspended detritus, occasionally sallying short distances to take prey. Opportunistically may take tiny invertebrates from bark and vine tangles. Any plant material intake is incidental.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in the shaded understory and mid-canopy of humid evergreen forest, especially along stream corridors and in dense vine tangles. Also forages at forest edges and in secondary growth when cover is sufficient.
