Isabelline Warbler? (1 Viewer)

[Gonçalo Elias]

Hi all,

This warbler was trapped this morning (May 5th) during a ringing session at ria de Alvor, Algarve, Portugal.

The bird was very pale, no traces of yellow at all. The tail was quite damaged (about five rectrices were missing).

Based on the pale colour I would go for an Isabelline (=Western Olivaceous), however according to Svensson, the wing formula is similar to that of Melodious, which is very common here. Can Melodious be ruled out by plumage colour alone? Are there any cases of very pale Melodious, i.e. with no yellow at all?

Any opinions on the ID shall be welcome.

Thanks,
Gonçalo

 

[Simon Wates]

2 days ago I had a brief sight view of a very similar bird at home in a Lemon tree. Unfortunately I couldn't clinch it and there were no vocalisations.

I think it was a Western Olivaceous though - its a bird I know very well from breeding sites in Spain - IMO they always seem longer billed, more Reed Warbler like head shaped than Melodious, which AFAIK can only be very pallid post breeding. They also move differently through vegetation - more plodding somehow. Of course, in habitat and singing they are easy!

It certainly looks very like a WOW and sorry I cannot help properly. I would say that with the apparent complete abscence of yellow/green tones it can't be Melodious - at least in my experience.

 

[Gonçalo Elias]

Thanks Simon. According to some theories, Iduna is actually closer to Acrocephalus than to Hippolais, and this certainly showed a resemblance to an Acro (in fact when I extracted the bird from the net for a moment I thought I was looking at a Reed Warbler).