Old World Warblers (Sylviidae)

Balearic Warbler (Sylvia balearica) - HBW 11, p. 701

French: Fauvette des Baléares German: Balearengrasmücke Spanish: Curruca Balear

Taxonomy: Sylvia sarda balearica von Jordans, 1913, Dragonera, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain.
Forms a superspecies with S. sarda; until recently considered conspecific, but differs markedly in voice (both calls and song, and neither species responds to other’s song), structure, size, migratory behaviour and mitochondrial DNA. Genetic studies suggest that both are more closely related to S. deserticola than to S. undata; all four species form a clade, and are part of a larger group that also includes S. conspicillata, S. cantillans, S. melanocephala, S. mystacea, S. rueppelli, and S. melanothorax. Monotypic.

Distribution: Balearic Is (except Menorca): Ibiza, Formentera, Mallorca, Dragonera and Cabrera, and largest islets (c. 1-2 km² in size) off coasts of these islands.