Eastern Orphean Warbler
Encyclopedia
The 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-Sahara
n Africa. Some taxonomists consider both subspecies Orphean Warbler
s to be distinct enough to separate them into species.
- this is one of the largest species of typical warblers. The adult males have a plain grey back. 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 reddish 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. Song is more varied than the Western Orphean Warbler, approaching Nightingale
in richness.(Snow 1998)
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", The Eastern Orphean Warbler is an insectivore
.
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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 the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
via 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...
, 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 surrounding regions to 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. Some taxonomists consider both subspecies Orphean Warbler
Orphean Warbler
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-Saharan Africa...
s to be distinct enough to separate them into species.
Overview
At 15–16 cm length - somewhat larger than a BlackcapBlackcap
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. 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 reddish 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. Song is more varied than the Western Orphean Warbler, approaching Nightingale
Nightingale
The 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)
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", The Eastern 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....
.
External links
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