COMMON CHAFFINCH [Female] (Fringilla coelebs subspecies F. c. schiebeli) Agia Marina, Crete, Greece

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The Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) or Eurasian Chaffinch is a small tree nesting finch in the family Fringillidae which is in the genus Fringilla. It is found throughout Europe but is absent from Iceland and also occurs in Western Asia as well as parts of North Africa. The northern populations are migratory and winter in the southern part of it's range. There are many subspecies recognised including Fringilla coelebs schiebeli which occurs on Crete and also in Southern Greece and Turkey. 

Text © Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds.com

COMMON CHAFFINCH (Fringilla coelebs subspecies F. c. schiebeli) male, Agia Marina, Crete, Greece

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The Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) is a small tree nesting finch in the family Fringillidae which is in the genus Fringilla. It is commonly found throughout Europe (but is absent from Iceland), Western Asia and parts of North Africa. The northern populations are migratory and winters in the southern part of the range. There are many subspecies recognised including Fringilla coelebs schiebeli which occurs on Crete as well as in Southern Greece and Turkey. 

 

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

WHITE WAGTAIL (Motacilla alba subspecies M. a. yarrellii) Agia Marina, Crete, Greece

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The White Wagtail (Motacilla alba) is a small ground nesting passerine and along with the longclaws and pipits is in the family Motacillidae which is in the genus Motacilla. This species is the commonest and most widespread wagtail that is found in Eurasia. It also breeds in Morocco in North Africa and there is a small Alaskan breeding population in North America. The northern populations are migratory and winters in Southern Europe, Africa and Southern Asia. Up to 11 sub-species are recognised, including the Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba yarrellii) which breeds in Britain, Ireland and the near-continent.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

PIED WAGTAIL (Motacilla alba subspecies M. a. yarrellii) male at Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Swords, Co. Dublin, Ireland

       

    White Wagtail (Montacella alba) subspecies distribution map          

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HOODED CROW or GREY CROW (Corvus cornix) Agia Marina, Crete, Greece

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  The Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix) also known as Grey Crow is a member of the crow family Corvidae which is in the genus Corvus. Four subspecies are generally recognized. Despite the fact that it is heavily persecuted, it occurs throughout Western Asia including parts of the Middle East as well as along the Nile Valley in North Africa. It is also commonly encountered and has a widespread distribution in Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. It is resident in Ireland, the Isle of Man and Northern Scotland. In the rest of Britain as well as Southwestern and Western Europe, it is replaced by the closely related Carrion Crow (Corvus corone) from which it was split in 2002 and was recognised as a separate species. Where their breeding ranges overlap, they may hybridise. Some of the northern populations are migratory and move south for the winter.

    

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SARDINIAN WARBLER (Male) (Sylvia melanocephala) Agia Marina, Crete, Greece

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The Sardinian Warbler (Sylvia melanocephala) is a small mainly insectivorous warbler of the family Sylviidae which is in the genus Sylvia. It is commonly encountered in southern and eastern Europe as well as in countries bordering the Mediterranean Basin. It is also resident on the Canary Islands. Some authorities recognise up to five subspecies. The female, typical of most sylvia warblers, has drabber plumage, it is grey headed with brownish upper parts and the under parts are washed buff. This species normally occurs in shrubby type habitat as well as in parks and gardens.

    Text © Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds.com 
 

Up to five subspecies are generally recognised:

• Sylvia melanocephala melanocephala - Iberia across the northern Mediterranean to western Turkey. Extends into the Maghreb from Iberia, and into Libya from Italy via Sicily. Migrates to the Sahel and oases in the Sahara in winter.
• Sylvia melanocephala leucogastra  - Canary Islands, resident, probably some vagrancy between eastern islands and Maghreb.
• Sylvia melanocephala momus - Near East. Resident, some local movements. 
• Sylvia melanocephala norissae - Fayyum Warbler - probably only a local morph of momus  - Nile Delta region. Extinct since around 1940.
• Sylvia melanocephala valverdei - Morocco south to the Tropic of Cancer, inland to the edge of the Sahara. Resident, but some seasonal movements.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sardinian_warbler