Systematic notes on Asian birds. 1. A review of the russet bush-warbler Bradypterus seebohmi (Ogilvie-Grant, 1895)

The bush-warbler Bradypterus mandelli (Brooks, 1875) was described from Sikkim, and numerous specimens from India were identified with it, but it was synonymised with the brown bush-warbler Bradypterus luteoventris (Hodgson, 1845) in 1881. In 1952, east Asian populations were grouped under the name of the Luzon form of the russet bush-warbler, Bradypterus seebohmi (Ogilvie-Grant, 1895). This taxonomy, however, failed to associate the Indian form and its available name mandelli, which received limited usage until 1919, with seebohmi, a matter reviewed and corrected herein. Specimens prove that mandelli has long been known from India, Bhutan, and Myanmar (Burma). The Thai population, previously placed in idoneus (Riley, 1940), belongs instead with the nominate race mandelli. The eastern Chinese race melanorhynchus (Rickett, 1898) is valid but not very distinctive. The nominate race probably occurs in Laos and northern Vietnam. Vocalisations are stereotyped, being extremely similar across Asia from north-eastern India to eastern China. The name idoneus is herein restricted to the southern Vietnamese population, as this race is evidently somewhat distinct vocally and morphologically. The common name ‘russet bush-warbler’ should continue to be used only for Bradypterus mandelli of mainland Asia. The Luzon form seebohmi was known only from the type specimen, other 20th century reports having been erroneous, until it was rediscovered in February 2000 near the type locality. Its song, while recognisably similar to that of mandelli, has several consistent structural differences, and we tentatively reallocate to it species rank as the ‘Benguet bush-warbler’ B. seebohmi. Both Javan and Timorese forms are morphologically distinct, and are provisionally treated as separate species, the ‘Javan bush-warbler’ B. montis (Hartert, 1896) and the ‘Timor bush-warbler’ B. timorensis (Mayr, 1944). A form on Bali for which no specimen material is available is evidently somewhat different vocally from B. montis. We address the issues of the synonymy of all potentially relevant names older than mandelli; the priority of the name Horornis flaviventris, Hodgson, 1845 over B. t. thoracicus (Blyth, 1845), of which the latter nevertheless takes precedence; and the designation of a lectotype for Cettia russula Slater, 1897, because the type series includes one mandelli. Reassessment of the range and taxonomy of luteoventris showed that its occurrence in Nepal, Laos, and Thailand is unproven, and that it is probably monotypic.