Warbling on the Steppes

This week, we move from Australia and Papua New Guinea into North Africa and the Middle and Near East. There is only one species of bird in this kind and eight recognized subspecies.

There is relatively little information available in English about this bird (though information in Arabic and Russian is more readily available). Despite living in countries known for desert, these birds prefer the steppes at higher elevations1. They nest in short bushes and breed in the early part of the year2. They eat insects and occasionally consume seeds as well.

Has anyone figured it out yet? Don’t feel bad if you didn’t—there is not a lot of work out there on this kind. This week’s kind is the Scotoceridae—the streaked scrub warblers. Stay tuned for next week when we go looking for a single species of toad from Central America.

Clue

Your clue for the week is:

This toad breeds in temporary pools of water but stays buried most of the rest of the year.

Ask a Question

Have you ever had a question about created kinds but didn’t know who to ask? Have you ever wanted to learn more about your favorite kind? Well, now you can! You can ask me, Inspector Barry Mins, a question! Have your parents help you fill out this form, and you might get your question answered in my column! If you have any questions about created kinds, feel free to send them my way!