Old World Warblers (Sylviidae)
Lesser Whitethroat (Sylvia curruca)
French: Fauvette babillarde German: Klappergrasmücke Spanish: Curruca Zarcerilla
Other common names: Grey Whitethroat
Taxonomy:
Motacilla Curruca Linnaeus, 1758, south Sweden.
Systematics of this species and S. minula and S. althaea controversial. All three traditionally considered conspecific, but recent exhaustive phenotypic and genetic studies suggest that they should be treated as separate species, differing not only genetically but also vocally and in size (but less markedly in plumage); in parts of Asia where they breed very close to each other, they are segregated ecologically and altitudinally. The three appear to form a highly distinct clade (S. hortensis and S. leucomelaena being their closest relatives). Geographical variation.. View all taxonomy...
Systematics of this species and S. minula and S. althaea controversial. All three traditionally considered conspecific, but recent exhaustive phenotypic and genetic studies suggest that they should be treated as separate species, differing not only genetically but also vocally and in size (but less markedly in plumage); in parts of Asia where they breed very close to each other, they are segregated ecologically and altitudinally. The three appear to form a highly distinct clade (S. hortensis and S. leucomelaena being their closest relatives). Geographical variation within present species largely clinal, race halimodendri intergrading widely with nominate in S Siberia. Proposed races blythi (from N Siberia), caucasica (Turkey, Caucasus and N Iran) and zagrossiensis (SW Iran) are largely inseparable from, and therefore synonymized with, nominate; similarly, telengitica (Russian Altai and Mongolia) is included within halimodendri. Two subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- curruca (Linnaeus, 1758) - breeds Europe (E from S Fennoscandia, Britain and N, C & SE France) E to Transbaikalia, S to N Italy, Balkans, Asia Minor, Levant, N & SW Iran and S Siberia; non-breeding Africa and S Asia.
- halimodendri Sushkin, 1904 - breeds Kazakhstan (from lower Volga) E to Mongolia; non-breeding S Asia.
- Least Concern
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A bird in a tree, foraging Langano, Ethiopia (curruca)
Josep del Hoyo 30 November 2005 3 years ago 35 sec 4.1 -
A bird moving in a tree Langano, Ethiopia (curruca)
Josep del Hoyo 30 November 2005 3 years ago 17 sec 3.9 -
A bird in a bush, rubbing its bill Gressholmen Island, Oslo Fjord, Oslo & Akershus, Norway (curruca)
Eric Roualet 19 August 2005 3 years ago 16 sec 3.9
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A bird with a caterpillar in its bill Suffolk, England, UK (curruca)
Arthur Grosset 24 May 2008 8 weeks ago 3
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Singing male of nominate race. Purbeck, Dorset, England, UK
(curruca)
Stuart Fisher 5 May 2003 47 weeks ago 3 -
Male foraging and singing Zemi Valley, Cappadocia, Turkey
(caucasica)
Stuart Fisher 26 April 2007 47 weeks ago 3
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