Eastern Subalpine Warbler

Photo by scottishdude
Photo taken: Lesvos

Includes Moltoni's Warbler

Sylvia cantillans

Identification

12cm
Adult male

• Grey back and head
• Brick-red underparts
• White malar streaks

Female has mainly brown upperparts with a greyer head. Whitish below with a pink flush.
Variation: males of the three subspecies may or may not be identifiable in spring^[7].

Immature, subspecies Moltoni
Photo by picus
Pavia, Italy, October 2006

Distribution

Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia
Europe: Scandinavia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, The Netherlands, France, Portugal, Spain, Ibiza, Mallorca, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Gibraltar, Andorra, Switzerland, Italy, Sicily, Sardinia, Slovenia, Croatia, Yugoslavia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Macedonia, Greece, Crete, Corfu, Lesvos, Rhodes, Malta, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova
Northern Africa: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Western Sahara, Libya, Egypt
Western Africa: Mauritania, Senegambia, Senegal, The Gambia, Mali, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon
Eastern Africa: Sudan, Ethiopia, Djibouti
Middle East: Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Arabian Peninsula, Saudi Arabia, Yemen
Asia: Russia

Vagrants regularly arrive in the British Isles, particularly in the Spring.

Taxonomy

Subspecies

There are 4 subspecies^[1]:

• S. c. cantillans: Western Subalpine Warbler

• Mainly coastal and continental Europe, from Iberia east to Italy

• S. c. moltonii: Moltoni's (Subalpine) Warbler

• Western Mediterranean islands, including Balearics, Corsica, Sardinia

• S. c. inornata:

• Morocco to Tunisia and possibly north-western Libya; winters Senegal to western Niger

• S. c. albistriata: Eastern Subalpine Warbler

• Balkan Peninsula to western Turkey; winters Sahara oases and Arabia

Moltoni's Warbler has been proposed for status as a full species^[2].

Habitat

Breeds in a variety of habitats, from open woodland to bushes and sandy heaths.

Behaviour

Breeding

The nest is built in thick bushes. Three to five eggs are laid.

Diet

Mainly insects, but will eat berries on occasion.

Vocalisation

Call: similar to Lesser Whitethroat's tett
Song: Clear and slow chattering and bouncy phrases, reminiscent of Eurasian Linnet. Delivered in 'song flight' or from a bush. <flashmp3>Sylvia cantillans (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program

References

1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2015. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2015, with updates to August 2015. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
2. Birdforum thread discussing the status of Moltoni's Warbler
3. Avibase
4. Wikipedia
5. Collins Field Guide 5th Edition
6. Collins Bird Guide ISBN 0 00 219728 6
7. Birdforum thread discussing subspecies identification

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Eastern Subalpine Warbler. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 25 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Eastern_Subalpine_Warbler

External Links

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