Raw Birds: Sylvia melanocephala leucogastra

Friday, 9 January 2015

SARDINIAN WARBLER [Female] (Sylvia melanocephala leucogastra) Las Penitas, Barranco de las Penitas, Fuerteventura, The Canary Islands, Spain

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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.
The Sardinian Warbler (Sylvia melanocephala leucogastra) that occurs on the Canary Islands is an endemic subspecies. The Spectacled Warbler (Sylvia conspicillata orbitalis) is the only other warbler that breeds on Fuerteventura and it is also classified as a Canary Island endemic subspecies.
After a considerable wait, this female hopped out briefly onto a Tamarisk bush and I managed to fire off half a dozen shots before it disappeared back into the thicket. The photo above being the best of a bad lot.

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.