Striking long-tailed bird of extensive reed beds. No other species looks very similar, particularly given habitat and behavior: note bright cinnamon-brown plumage, long tail, and yellowish bill; male has blue-gray head and broad black mustaches. Not easy to see well but sometimes feed on reedbed edges, often very low or on adjacent muddy ground. Flight typically low over reeds with whirring wingbeats. Often in small groups. Flocks often give a quiet “tue, tue”, as well as hard “tik” and buzzy “chew” calls.