Old World Warblers (Sylviidae)
Greater Whitethroat (Sylvia communis) - HBW 11, p. 698
French: Fauvette grisette
German: Dorngrasmücke
Spanish: Curruca Zarcera
Other common names: (Greater) Whitethroat
Taxonomy: Sylvia communis Latham, 1787, Kent, England.
Studies suggest that this is sister-species of the group formed by typical Mediterranean congeners (S. undata, S. sarda, S. balearica, S. deserticola, S. conspicillata, S. cantillans, S. melanocephala, S. mystacea, S. rueppelli, S. melanothorax). Geographical variation largely clinal, but races form two rather well-differentiated groups: NW group contains nominate race and volgensis, which intergrade widely in E Europe, and SE group comprises icterops and rubicola; groups intergrade in SE Europe, Turkey.. View all taxonomy...
Taxonomy: Sylvia communis Latham, 1787, Kent, England.
Studies suggest that this is sister-species of the group formed by typical Mediterranean congeners (S. undata, S. sarda, S. balearica, S. deserticola, S. conspicillata, S. cantillans, S. melanocephala, S. mystacea, S. rueppelli, S. melanothorax). Geographical variation largely clinal, but races form two rather well-differentiated groups: NW group contains nominate race and volgensis, which intergrade widely in E Europe, and SE group comprises icterops and rubicola; groups intergrade in SE Europe, Turkey, Caucasus and Altai. Proposed races jordansi (from United Kingdom, except SE England), cinerea (Scandinavia, Germany S to N Greece) and hoyeri (E from E Poland) synonymized with nominate, and traudeli (E Asia Minor) included within icterops. Four subspecies recognized.
Studies suggest that this is sister-species of the group formed by typical Mediterranean congeners (S. undata, S. sarda, S. balearica, S. deserticola, S. conspicillata, S. cantillans, S. melanocephala, S. mystacea, S. rueppelli, S. melanothorax). Geographical variation largely clinal, but races form two rather well-differentiated groups: NW group contains nominate race and volgensis, which intergrade widely in E Europe, and SE group comprises icterops and rubicola; groups intergrade in SE Europe, Turkey, Caucasus and Altai. Proposed races jordansi (from United Kingdom, except SE England), cinerea (Scandinavia, Germany S to N Greece) and hoyeri (E from E Poland) synonymized with nominate, and traudeli (E Asia Minor) included within icterops. Four subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- communis Latham, 1787 - breeds Europe (E to N European Russia and Ukraine), N Turkey and NW Africa; non-breeding mainly W & C Africa.
- volgensis Domaniewski, 1915 - breeds SE European Russia E to SW Siberia and N Kazakhstan; non-breeding quarters poorly known.
- icterops Ménétries, 1832 - breeds Turkey, Levant, Caucasus, Transcaucasia, and N Iran E to Turkmenistan; non-breeding E & S Africa.
- rubicola Stresemann, 1928 - breeds C Asian mountains, from Russian Altai S to SE Uzbekistan and E to N Mongolia and S Transbaikalia; non-breeding E & S Africa.
- Least Concern Enlarge map
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A bird eating blackberries Locality Vilanova i la Geltru, Barcelona Province, Catalonia, Spain (ssp communis)
Pere Sugranyes 31 October 2005 5 years ago 16 sec 4.5 -
A male singing perched on a branch Locality Essonne, Île-de-France, France (ssp communis)
Julien Rochefort 14 May 2007 4 years ago 21 sec 4.5 -
chirp of distress of a bird in a hedge near its nest Locality Rambouillet Forest, Yvelines, Île-de-France, France
Alain Beaufils 15 June 2006 3 years ago 19 sec 4.4 -
a bird comming to drink Locality Abuko Nature Reserve, Abuko, Western Division, The Gambia (ssp communis)
Daniêl Jimenez 1 January 2012 16 weeks ago 1 min 11 sec 4.3 -
A bird singing. Locality Borsbeek, Antwerp Province, Belgium
Jeremiusz Trzaska 16 April 2011 1 year ago 30 sec 4.2 -
A close-up of a female looking around Locality Cobeña, Madrid, Spain (ssp communis)
Javier Ortas 24 September 2007 4 years ago 30 sec 4.2
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singing
Locality Valley of Tears, Golan Heights, Israel
Lior Kislev 13 April 2011 1 year ago 4.5 -
Sitting in the shade of a tree
Locality Traina Farm, Qatar
John A Thompson 11 September 2010 1 year ago 4.3 -
Singing on one of his singing spots
Locality South Holland Province, Netherlands
Rob Belterman 7 May 2011 1 year ago 4.3 -
Common Whitethroat (Sylvia communis)
Locality Kyshtym, Chelyabinskaya Oblast, Western Russia, Russia
Maxim S. Shveikin 23 June 2011 32 weeks ago 4.3 -
a passage migrant, and some number winter here in Jeddah.
Locality Jeddah, Makkah Province, Saudi Arabia
ammadoux 8 May 2010 1 year ago 4.2 -
A female Whitethroat carrying food to the nest.
Locality Lesbos, Greece
David Lingard 1 May 2010 4 weeks ago 4.2
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Alarm calls of an adult with young nearby Locality Rainham, Essex, England, Great Britain
(ssp communis)
Stuart Fisher 18 July 2009 2 years ago 4.5 -
A singing male Locality Send, Surrey, England, Great Britain
(ssp communis)
Stuart Fisher 2 years ago 4.3 -
Song of a bird building the nest.
Locality Izmailovsky Park, Moscow, Western Russia, Russia
(ssp communis)
Josep del Hoyo 2 June 2009 1 year ago 4 -
Song of a male Locality Lampertheim, Hesse, Germany
(ssp communis)
Claus Fischer 8 July 2010 1 year ago 4 -
Calls of a male Locality Chobham, Surrey, England, Great Britain
(ssp communis)
Stuart Fisher 20 April 2005 2 years ago 4 -
Alarm calls of an adult and 2 juveniles perched and then flying away Locality Send, Surrey, England, Great Britain
(ssp communis)
Stuart Fisher 25 July 2009 2 years ago 3.7
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