Old World Warblers (Sylviidae)

Paddyfield Warbler (Acrocephalus agricola) - HBW 11, p. 619

French: Rousserolle isabelle German: Feldrohrsänger Spanish: Carricero Agrícola
Other common names: Jerdon’s Reed-warbler

Taxonomy: Sylvia (acrocephalus) agricola Jerdon, 1845, near Nellore, Tamil Nadu, India.
Forms a superspecies with A. tangorum and A. concinens, and has been considered conspecific with one or both. Differs from each, however, in combination of plumage characters and biometrics; furthermore, recent DNA studies indicate c. 7·5% divergence from A. tangorum. Geographical variation poorly understood, as colour differences heavily influenced by effects of plumage wear; races capistratus sometimes merged with nominate. Three subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

septimus (Gavrilenko, 1954) - breeds E Europe (Romania, Bulgaria) E to S Ukraine and W Kazakhstan (lower R Ural and lower R Ilek); non-breeding SE Iran and W Indian Subcontinent.
capistratus (Severtsov, 1873) - breeds SW Siberia and Kazakhstan (except W) E to upper R Yenisey and W Mongolia, S to NE Iran, Tajikistan and NW China (Xinjiang), possibly also Afghanistan; non-breeding Indian Subcontinent.
agricola (Jerdon, 1845) - breeds C Asia (details uncertain); non-breeding E Iran and Indian Subcontinent.