Iraq Babbler Argya altirostris Scientific name definitions

20–24 cm; mean 33 g. Relatively small but long-tailed Argya babbler with curved bill, softly streaked upperparts and plain white and buff underparts . Crown and upperparts are pale greyish-tinged sandy brown with soft-edged mid-brown streaks, streaks relatively dense on crown, longer and more spaced on back and fading on buffier rump; upperwing and tail buffy brown with buff fringes; lores and cheek whitish-buff, ear-coverts to lower submoustachial area and neck side slightly warm-tinged brownish-buff; chin, upper submoustachial area and throat buff-tinged white, shading to buff on underparts , with variable amount of buffy-white on mid-line of belly; iris dark brown with grey inner ring; upper mandible dark brown, lower mandible flesh-brown; legs horn-brown to pinkish-brown. Sexes similar. Juvenile is paler and greyer than adult.

R Euphrates Plains and nearby wetlands from S Turkey (Birecik (1 Donaghy, N. (2006). Iraq Babbler - a new breeding bird for Turkey. Birding World 19(6): 283–284. Close ) ) across C Syria to SE Iraq (Euphrates–Tigris Delta) and adjacent SW Iran.

Song a musical sequence of “phist” and “phic” calls. Chorus call a whistling “pherrrrrreree…”, descending in pitch and volume; heard from bird separated from group and answered in kind, also at roosting time as summons. Contact call a noisy chattering “pherrr pherrr pherrr…”, given by group in thick cover; flight call a quiet “phe phe phe phe…”; other calls include single or repeated “whist” at nest approach and in allopreening, series of interchangeable “phist” and “phic” sounds when predator close (becoming high scream if predator approaches closely), and loud squeaking “phsioe” in alarm.