LITTLE OWL Athene noctua Ria Formosa, Natural Park, Tavira, Portugal

 

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LITTLE OWL Athene noctua Ria Formosa Natural Park ,Tavira, Portugal

 

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PIED AVOCET Recurvirostra avosetta Ria Formosa Natural Park, Tavira, Portugal

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EUROPEAN SERIN (Serinus serinus) Ria Formosa Natural Park, Tavira, Portugal

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MELODIOUS WARBLER (Hippolais polyglotta) Tavira, Portugal

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 The Melodious Warbler (Hippolais polyglotta) is of the warbler family Acrocephalidae which is in the genus Hippolais. It is a common breeding summer resident in southwest Europe and northwest Africa. In Mid September, it migrates south to spend the winter in sub-Saharan Africa. In Ireland it's a rare but annual over shooting spring and autumn migrant to south coast headlands where it needs to be separated with care from the very similar Icterine Warbler (Hippolais icterina) which has noticeably longer primary projections being equal in length to the tertials. Melodious Warbler primary projections are half the length of its tertials.       

 

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

WESTERN ORPHEAN WARBLER Sylvia hortensis Tavira, Portugal

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EUROPEAN SERIN Serinus serinus Parque Natural da Ria Formosa, Tavira, Portugal

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SARDINIAN WARBLER [Male] (Sylvia melanocephala) Parque Natural da Ria Formosa, Tavira, Portugal

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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/Sardi