Orphean Warbler
Encyclopedia
The Orphean Warbler, Sylvia hortensis, is a typical warbler
of the genus
Sylvia. This species
occurs in summer around the Mediterranean, through Turkey
and the Caucasus
and extending into Central Asia
. It is migratory
, wintering in sub-Sahara
n Africa. It is a rare vagrant to northern and north-western Europe
.
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At 15–16 cm length - somewhat larger than a Blackcap
- this is one of the largest species of typical warblers. The adult males have a plain grey back and whitish underparts. The bill is long and pointed and the legs black. The male has a dark grey head, black eye mask and white throat. The iris is white. Females and immatures have a paler head and buff underparts; their grey back has a brownish tinge. The iris is dark in young birds. The song is a series of warbling liroo-liroo and scolding notes.
These small passerine
birds are found in open deciduous
woodland. 4-6 eggs are laid in a nest in a bush or tree. Like most "warblers", Orphean Warbler is an insectivore
.
Other common names are "greater pettychaps" or "European garden warbler". The latter should be by all means avoided as the Orphean Warbler does not occur in most parts of Europe, whereas the Garden Warbler
proper does. In Italy
, it is also known as beccafico ("figpecker") as they were believed to gorge themselves on fig
s when these are in season. Such birds were considered delicacies and consequently much hunted and snared.
Two subspecies
are unequivocally accepted (Snow et al. 1998), but they are increasingly considered separate species (Helbig 2001, Jønsson & Fjeldså 2006):
The Orphean Warbler is probably most closely allied to the Red Sea Warbler
, as well as the Brown
and Yemen Warblers which are sometimes placed in Parisoma. They together with the Lesser Whitethroat
group seem to form a distinct clade
of typical warblers. The species therein do not appear much alike at first glance, but they all have prominent white throats, lack rufous wing-patches, and usually having dark sides to the head.(Helbig 2001, Jønsson & Fjeldså 2006)
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Typical warbler
The typical warblers are small birds belonging to the genus Sylvia in the "Old World warbler" family Sylviidae. There are 28 species currently included in the genus, including five species formerly treated in the genus Parisoma, a treatment which left Sylvia paraphyletic...
of the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Sylvia. This species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
occurs in summer around the Mediterranean, through Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
and the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
and extending into Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
. It is migratory
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
, wintering in sub-Sahara
Sahara
The Sahara is the world's second largest desert, after Antarctica. At over , it covers most of Northern Africa, making it almost as large as Europe or the United States. The Sahara stretches from the Red Sea, including parts of the Mediterranean coasts, to the outskirts of the Atlantic Ocean...
n Africa. It is a rare vagrant to northern and north-western Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
Overview
Blackcap
The Blackcap is a common and widespread sylviid warbler which breeds throughout temperate Europe, western Asia and northwestern Africa, and winters from northwestern Europe south to tropical Africa...
- this is one of the largest species of typical warblers. The adult males have a plain grey back and whitish underparts. The bill is long and pointed and the legs black. The male has a dark grey head, black eye mask and white throat. The iris is white. Females and immatures have a paler head and buff underparts; their grey back has a brownish tinge. The iris is dark in young birds. The song is a series of warbling liroo-liroo and scolding notes.
These small passerine
Passerine
A passerine is a bird of the order Passeriformes, which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds or, less accurately, as songbirds, the passerines form one of the most diverse terrestrial vertebrate orders: with over 5,000 identified species, it has roughly...
birds are found in open deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
woodland. 4-6 eggs are laid in a nest in a bush or tree. Like most "warblers", Orphean Warbler is an insectivore
Insectivore
An insectivore is a type of carnivore with a diet that consists chiefly of insects and similar small creatures. An alternate term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of eating insects....
.
Other common names are "greater pettychaps" or "European garden warbler". The latter should be by all means avoided as the Orphean Warbler does not occur in most parts of Europe, whereas the Garden Warbler
Garden Warbler
The Garden Warbler, Sylvia borin, is a common and widespread typical warbler which breeds throughout northern and temperate Europe into western Asia. This small passerine bird is strongly migratory, and winters in central and southern Africa...
proper does. In Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, it is also known as beccafico ("figpecker") as they were believed to gorge themselves on fig
Ficus
Ficus is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes, and hemiepiphyte in the family Moraceae. Collectively known as fig trees or figs, they are native throughout the tropics with a few species extending into the semi-warm temperate zone. The Common Fig Ficus is a genus of...
s when these are in season. Such birds were considered delicacies and consequently much hunted and snared.
Two subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
are unequivocally accepted (Snow et al. 1998), but they are increasingly considered separate species (Helbig 2001, Jønsson & Fjeldså 2006):
- Sylvia (hortensis) hortensis, Western Orphean Warbler
- SW EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and MaghrebMaghrebThe Maghreb is the region of Northwest Africa, west of Egypt. It includes five countries: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Mauritania and the disputed territory of Western Sahara...
east to Adriatic SeaAdriatic SeaThe Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
and Gulf of SidraGulf of SidraGulf of Sidra is a body of water in the Mediterranean Sea on the northern coast of Libya; it is also known as Gulf of Sirte or the Great Sirte or Greater Syrtis .- Geography :The Gulf of Sidra has been a major centre for tuna fishing in the Mediterranean for centuries...
, respectively - Conspicuous pinkish (males) or rusty (females) wash on underparts.
- Sylvia (hortensis) crassirostris, Eastern Orphean WarblerEastern Orphean WarblerThe Eastern Orphean Warbler, Sylvia hortensis crassirostris, is a typical warbler of the genus Sylvia. This species occurs in summer around the Mediterranean, through the Balkans via Turkey, the Caucasus and surrounding regions to Central Asia. It is migratory, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa...
- includes balchanica and probably also jerdoni
- Sylvia (hortensis) crassirostris, Eastern Orphean Warbler
- BalkansBalkansThe Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
via TurkeyTurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, the CaucasusCaucasusThe Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
and surrounding regions to Central AsiaCentral AsiaCentral Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north... - Bill longer and stronger on average, though varies much. Little reddish wash on underparts, resulting in a crisper division between white belly and grey flanks. Song is more varied, approaching NightingaleNightingaleThe Nightingale , also known as Rufous and Common Nightingale, is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but is now more generally considered to be an Old World flycatcher, Muscicapidae...
in richness.(Snow 1998)
The Orphean Warbler is probably most closely allied to the Red Sea Warbler
Red Sea Warbler
The Arabian Warbler or Red Sea Warbler is a species of Old World warbler in the Sylviidae family.It is found in Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Israel, Jordan, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen....
, as well as the Brown
Brown Warbler
The Brown Parisoma or Brown Warbler is a typical warbler found in Africa....
and Yemen Warblers which are sometimes placed in Parisoma. They together with the Lesser Whitethroat
Lesser Whitethroat
The Lesser Whitethroat is a common and widespread typical warbler which breeds in temperate Europe, except the southwest, and in western and central Asia. This small passerine bird is strongly migratory, wintering in Africa just south of the Sahara, Arabia and India.Unlike many typical warblers,...
group seem to form a distinct clade
Clade
A clade is a group consisting of a species and all its descendants. In the terms of biological systematics, a clade is a single "branch" on the "tree of life". The idea that such a "natural group" of organisms should be grouped together and given a taxonomic name is central to biological...
of typical warblers. The species therein do not appear much alike at first glance, but they all have prominent white throats, lack rufous wing-patches, and usually having dark sides to the head.(Helbig 2001, Jønsson & Fjeldså 2006)
External links
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