Warbler, Portugal (Iduna/Acrocephalus) (1 Viewer)

PedroNicolau · Sep 19, 2020

Hi all,

I watched this warbler on Sep 8th at Doca de Faro, in the Algarve (Portugal).

In the field, I saw a medium-sized warbler, Melodious-like, which was clearly whitish below with no traces of yellow, and was dull brown above with no visible contrast in the plumage. The bird kept feeding actively always at the top of the trees, making it a bit hard to follow, but still provided good views, although mostly of the underparts.

The are a few weird aspects about this bird for me, and so I have decided to put it up here for judgement, hoping someone might help shed a light on its ID.

Other photos here: https://ebird.org/checklist/S73354988

Many thanks for your help

Pedro

CARERY · Sep 20, 2020

It's not an Acrocephalus - tail cut straight, undertail coverts too short. I see nothing why it shouldn't be Iduna opaca. Van't be too unusual in Portugal I imagine?

Deb Burhinus · Sep 20, 2020

I could do no better than Western Olivaceous too when I looked at this late last night - I was just a bit worried that the bill wasn’t heavy enough.

Larry Sweetland · Sep 20, 2020

Deb Burhinus said:
I could do no better than Western Olivaceous too when I looked at this late last night - I was just a bit worried that the bill wasn’t heavy enough.

My thoughts too

rosbifs · Sep 20, 2020

There was a wo reported in Lisbon last week....

PedroNicolau · Sep 20, 2020

CARERY said:
It's not an Acrocephalus - tail cut straight, undertail coverts too short. I see nothing why it shouldn't be Iduna opaca. Van't be too unusual in Portugal I imagine?

You would think, yes. It breeds inland, at the border with Spain, but it is essentially a rarity everywhere else, only rarely found in migration, as it doesn't really venture west unless there are some easterlies (which actually was the case).

I agree with your assessment of the undertail coverts, they did look short to me but the tail is worn out and one could wonder if the undertail coverts are worn out too.

In the field, it was an opaca for me. I had seen the species only once before yet it gave me the exact same feel. There was no downward tipping of the tail and that excludes pallida, I believe.

But there has been a recent bird in Lisbon which generated much discussion and was widely twitched, only to have been confirmed as a washed out Reed Warbler later on. So this record is to be treated as of a rare bird, nothing mega, but nothing common either.

RogerioRodrigues · Sep 20, 2020

PedroNicolau said:
You would think, yes. It breeds inland, at the border with Spain, but it is essentially a rarity everywhere else, only rarely found in migration, as it doesn't really venture west unless there are some easterlies (which actually was the case).

I agree with your assessment of the undertail coverts, they did look short to me but the tail is worn out and one could wonder if the undertail coverts are worn out too.

In the field, it was an opaca for me. I had seen the species only once before yet it gave me the exact same feel. There was no downward tipping of the tail and that excludes pallida, I believe.

But there has been a recent bird in Lisbon which generated much discussion and was widely twitched, only to have been confirmed as a washed out Reed Warbler later on. So this record is to be treated as of a rare bird, nothing mega, but nothing common either.

Pedro , still on the other bird seen in Lisbon i,m not convinced that it,s a Reed Warbler , there are some dubious pictures but on this one taken by myself i do not see any clear evidence that is a scirpaceus , so i would like to have more opinions on this bird before i discard it completely.

CARERY · Sep 20, 2020

RogerioRodrigues said:
Pedro , still on the other bird seen in Lisbon i,m not convinced that it,s a Reed Warbler , there are some dubious pictures but on this one taken by myself i do not see any clear evidence that is a scirpaceus , so i would like to have more opinions on this bird before i discard it completely.

Your bird indeed is a Reed Warbler, whether ambiguus or scirpaceus who knows. Despite the short undertail coverts (I guess missing - moulting or accidental lost) the pp is too long and the wing shows only one emargination on p3 whereas WOW would have
emarginations on p3-p5, see here:
http://netfugl.dk/pictures.php?id=showpicture&picture_id=41294

RogerioRodrigues · Sep 20, 2020

Thanks Roland , meanwhile Pedro have also provide me a detail analyse that i has not aware that have been done to this bird , same conclusion indeed.

Nice informative site you have in Denmark .

Warbler, Portugal (Iduna/Acrocephalus) (1 Viewer)

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PedroNicolau

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