Towards a better understanding of Basra Reed WarblerAcrocephalus griseldis(Aves: Passeriformes: Acrocephalidae) ecology? A comment on Al-Sheikhlyet al.(2013)

Abstract

IntroductionThe paper by Al-Sheikhly et al. (2013) described many novel observations that aimed to expand our understanding of the biology of the Basra Reed Warbler Acrocephalus griseldis, a poorly known species of considerable conservation concern (it being currently treated as Endangered by IUCN). However, we believe that significant problems concerning the methodology underlying the data stated to have been collected severely compromise the stated importance of their work, and must raise considerable doubts with respect to at least some of their conclusions.

A response to the comment of Porteret al.(2014) on “Breeding ecology of the Basra Reed WarblerAcrocephalus griseldis(Hartlaub, 1891) in Iraq (Aves: Passeriformes: Acrocephalidae)”

“…Porter et al (2014), in view of the lack of any trapping programme, which they consider as mandatory, raise doubts on the species' silent mating in the lower parts of reed beds . Once more, field observations and photographs provided a significant amount of data to allow us describing reliably the behaviour in subject.…”

“…Al-Sheikhly and co-workers carried out an intensive field research in 2006-2007 and 2011-2012, and produced data on the biology of the Basra Reed Warbler, this representing the first contribution to the conservation of the species in Iraq. In their Comment, Porter et al (2014) question part of the findings provided by . Nevertheless, Porter et al do not provide any opposing experimental evidence.…”

“…In this Response, we address each of these three issues. Porter et al (2014) underline the lack of "a large-scale trapping programme and the unique marking of individual, sexually identified birds", which they assumed to be essential to locate and investigate adults in the field. When stated in their paper "Basra Reed Warbler is a secretive and solitary bird that can hardly be observed in the wild"; the latter did not imply that Basra Reed Warbler could be not precisely located according to field observations.…”

“…In this reply, we disclose in more detail information so as to confirm the reliability of our research. Porter et al (2014) focus on three issues: (1) gaps in methodology;…”

Distributions and Community Composition of Birds in Iraq’s Central Marsh

“…Our analysis is useful for comparing abundance and richness between areas within the same season but is perhaps less useful for comparing between seasons. There has been recent interest in the potential population size of one of the most threatened species we recorded, the globally endangered Basra Reed Warbler, with major discrepancies of opinion regarding breeding population size (e.g., between [18,19] and [23]). We recorded 11 nests in our study area (10 of them were independent nests; one in April, four in May, and five in June 2014).…”