Old World Warblers (Sylviidae)
Desert Warbler (Sylvia nana) - HBW 11, p. 698
French: Fauvette naine
German: Wüstengrasmücke
Spanish: Curruca Sahariana
Other common names: Desert Whitethroat; Meinertzhagen’s Warbler (“S. ticehursti”)
Taxonomy: Curruca nana Hemprich and Ehrenberg, 1833, El Tor, Sinai Peninsula, north-east Egypt.
Races are widely separated geographically and differ markedly in voice, plumage and morphology, as well as in migratory behaviour; some authors suggest that present knowledge supports treatment of these as two separate species, although genetic data lacking. Proposed race theresae (described from Sind, in Pakistan) falls within range of individual variation of nominate, and is therefore synonymized with it. Form named as S. ticehursti, described on basis of single specimen from S Morocco (near Ouarzazate), and traditionally treated either as a separate species or as a race of .. View all taxonomy...
Races are widely separated geographically and differ markedly in voice, plumage and morphology, as well as in migratory behaviour; some authors suggest that present knowledge supports treatment of these as two separate species, although genetic data lacking. Proposed race theresae (described from Sind, in Pakistan) falls within range of individual variation of nominate, and is therefore synonymized with it. Form named as S. ticehursti, described on basis of single specimen from S Morocco (near Ouarzazate), and traditionally treated either as a separate species or as a race of S. deserticola, is most probably an aberrant individual of race maroccana of latter (which it resembles in general structure and in tail and tertial patterns), or a hybrid between it and race deserti of present species (which it resembles in having pale sandy-brown upperparts). Two subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- nana (Hemprich & Ehrenberg, 1833) - breeds from N & E Caspian Sea coasts and C & NE Iran E to S Mongolia and NW China; non-breeding NE Africa and Arabia E to NW India.
- deserti (Loche, 1858) - NW Africa, from Western Sahara E to W Libya.
- Least Concern Enlarge map
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An individual changing perch among bushes. Locality Banni Grasslands, Kutch District, Gujarat, India (Monotypic species)
Josep del Hoyo 16 February 2011 24 weeks ago 31 sec 3.7 -
A bird perched in a bush, preening. Locality Banni Grasslands, Kutch District, Gujarat, India (Monotypic species)
Josep del Hoyo 16 February 2011 24 weeks ago 23 sec 3.7 -
A bird singing briefly from a small bush then flying away Locality Erg Chebbi, Meknès-Tafilalet Region, Morocco (ssp deserti)
Keith Blomerley 4 March 2010 2 years ago 14 sec 3 -
A bird jumping and looking for insects on the ground Locality Jebel Hafeet, Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates (ssp nana)
Eric Roualet 24 February 2008 4 years ago 21 sec 2.7 -
three views of one typically feeding on the ground and low vegetation Locality Banni Grasslands, Kutch District, Gujarat, India (ssp nana)
Martin Kennewell 12 December 2009 2 years ago 16 sec 2.5 -
A bird jumping on the ground Locality Quatbit, Dhofar, Oman (ssp nana)
Eric Roualet 9 November 2010 1 year ago 6 sec 2
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Desert Warbler
Locality Qatar
sulqatar 1 year ago 4.7 -
With an insect
Locality Fuwayrit, Qatar
John A Thompson 3 December 2010 1 year ago 4.5 -
A perched bird
Locality Al Balid Farm, Dhofar, Oman (ssp nana)
Fran Trabalon 5 January 2011 31 weeks ago 4.2 -
Jumps
Locality Fuwayrit, Qatar
John A Thompson 3 December 2010 1 year ago 4.2 -
on the ground
Locality Meishar, Israel
Lior Kislev 12 March 2008 23 weeks ago 4 -
Migratory
Locality Banni Grasslands, Kutch District, Gujarat, India
jugal Tiwari 25 October 2008 1 year ago 4
- No sound recordings available yet
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