Identification
A nondescript long-tailed, long-billed warbler of wetlands. Rusty-brown overall with blurry streaking on the breast. Found in wetland habitat, primarily reedbeds. Extremely secretive and skulking. Most often seen when it sits up to sing or gives a short display flight. Song starts with slow, hesitant, buzzy metallic notes that speed up, then ends with a trill made by beating the wings together at incredible speed. The variably streaked breast separates it from reed-warblers and swamp-warblers. Very similar to Little Rush Warbler, but there is little or no overlap in range, and Highland sings a much higher-pitched song.