Asian Stubtail

The Asian stubtail is a tiny, 10–11-centimetre ground-haunting warbler with warm brown upperparts, paler underparts and an exceptionally short, square-ended tail. A long buff-white eyebrow, dark eye-line and dark-tipped crown feathers create a subtly scaled head pattern. Its shape, low posture and rapid movements through leaf litter are useful clues, since it often vanishes into cover before permitting an extended view (Shanghai Birding; Wikipedia).

It breeds in northeastern Asia and Japan and winters south through Hainan, Taiwan, southeastern China and Indochina. In winter it occupies dense undergrowth and leaf litter in evergreen broadleaf and lowland conifer forest. Birds forage on or close to the ground for insects, larvae, spiders and other small invertebrates, flicking among fallen leaves and low stems. Its secretive habits mean that thin calls may provide the first indication of its presence (Shanghai Birding; Bangladesh Red List account).