English: Asian Desert Warbler, Desert Whitethroat
Russian: Пустынная славка       
Mongolian: Цөлийн зэржигэнэ
German: Wustengrasmucke
French: Fauvette naine  
Japanese: サバクムシクイ (Sabaku-mushikui)    

Body length:  11 ½ -12 ½ cm.

Closely related to African Desert Warbler, but now commonly treated as a separate species. Breeds in semi-desert or on dry steppe in Central Asia. Migrant, win-tering west to Levant and Arabia. Rare autumn vagrant to W Europe. Active and restless, often runs on ground. Not hard to see owing to openness of habitat. Nests low in bush.

Identification: Small. Habitat, light grey-brown upperparts and size give immediate pointers to species, but in brief glimpse other pale brown species are possible contenders. Ochre fringes to tertials and greater coverts and broad off-white eye-ring can recall Spectacled Warbler. Bear in mind that: eye is yellow; legs light yellow-brown; uppertail bright rusty-brown. Bill slender, dull yellow with just dark tip and culmen. Like African Desert Warbler but is somewhat greyer above on head and back, has darker primaries and more vivid rufous tinge on uppertail; best character offered by black central streaks to tertials and central tail-feathers. Can recall a ♀ Whitethroat but is much smaller, has yellow eye and paler yellowish legs.