Whilst
ringing on 17 October we caught two Indian (Clamorous) Reed Warblers in active
wing and tail moult. Here is a photo of one of the birds concerned. Moult of Clamorous Reed Warbler includes wing and tail moult taking
place soon after arrival on the wintering grounds with wintering birds from
India having tail feathers and several outer primaries re-growing in mid-October
with birds almost completed their moult of primaries and secondaries as well as
tail by the end of October. The birds we get in Saudi Arabia are Indian
(Clamorous) Reed Warblers Acrocephalus stentoreus brunnescens and appear
to have a similar moult to the birds described above with tail and primaries
almost complete by mid-October. Our birds appear to be mainly resident with
some very short distance movements of birds between nearby reed beds after the
breeding season.
