Old World Warblers (Sylviidae)

Western Grasshopper-warbler (Locustella naevia) - HBW 11, p. 613

French: Locustelle tachetée German: Feldschwirl Spanish: Buscarla Pintoja
Other common names: Grasshopper Warbler, Common/European/Pale Grasshopper-warbler

Taxonomy: Motacilla naevia Boddaert, 1783, Bologna, Italy.
Studies of mitochondrial DNA indicate that this species forms a group with L. lanceolata, L. fluviatilis and L. luscinioides; close affinities of these with certain Asian Bradypterus species also suggested. Races appear to form two distinct pairs: nominate and obscurior in W (larger and browner), and straminea and mongolica in E (smaller, paler and greyer). Four subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

naevia (Boddaert, 1783) - breeds Europe (from S Scandinavia and S Finland S to Britain and Ireland, NW Iberia, Alps and R Danube) E to W European Russia and Ukraine; non-breeding W Africa.
obscurior Buturlin, 1929 - breeds Caucasus Mts S to NE Turkey and Armenia; non-breeding probably NE Africa.
straminea Seebohm, 1881 - breeds C & S parts of E European Russia E to SW Siberia (Novosibirsk), C & E Kazakhstan and NW China (Tien Shan); non-breeding mostly S Asia, a few in Ethiopia.
mongolica Sushkin, 1925 - breeds Zayzan Depression (E Kazakhstan) E to Sayan Mts (in S Russia) and W Mongolia; non-breeding range uncertain, presumably S Asia.