- 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 subspecies may or may not be identifiable in spring[7].
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
Moltoni's Warbler was formerly considered conspecific with this species.
Subspecies
There are 3 subspecies[1]:
- S. c. cantillans: Western Subalpine Warbler
- S. c. inornata:
- S. c. albistriata: Eastern Subalpine Warbler
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
- 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/
- Birdforum thread discussing the status of Moltoni's Warbler
- Avibase
- Wikipedia
- Collins Field Guide 5th Edition
- Collins Bird Guide ISBN 0 00 219728 6
- Birdforum thread discussing subspecies identification
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Eastern Subalpine Warbler. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 24 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Eastern_Subalpine_Warbler
External Links