Important Winter Vagrant Record of Brown Bush Warbler Locustella Luteventris from Chhavli Wetland, Taluka – Lakhtar, Dist. – Surendranagar, Gujarat, India

The Brown Bush Warbler Locustella luteoventris is a small passerine species known to be resident and breeding mainly in the Eastern Himalayas, North-East India, and adjoining regions of South and East Asia. This paper reports an important winter vagrant record of a single individual observed and photographed on 18 November 2025 at Chhavli Wetland (22.40° N, 71.55° E), Surendranagar District, Gujarat, India. The bird was identified based on detailed field observations and diagnostic morphological characteristics, including bill structure, supercilium, plumage coloration, and tail features, supported by photographic evidence. Chhavli Wetland is a large freshwater marsh with diverse scrub and wetland vegetation, offering suitable habitat for migratory passerines. This record represents the first confirmed occurrence of L. luteoventris from Gujarat, significantly extending its known distribution range in India and highlighting the importance of wetland habitats for documenting rare vagrant species.