Old World Warblers (Sylviidae)
Tristram's Warbler (Sylvia deserticola) - HBW 11, p. 703
French: Fauvette de l’Atlas
German: Atlasgrasmücke
Spanish: Curruca del Atlas
Other common names: Meinertzhagen’s Warbler (“S. ticehursti”)
Taxonomy: Sylvia deserticola Tristram, 1859, Sahara of southern Algeria.
Although phenotypic characters approach those of S. conspicillata, is genetically more closely related to S. undata; recent genetic studies suggest close relationship also with S. sarda and S. balearica. Present species and three last-mentioned ones form a clade, all four being part of a larger group that also includes S. conspicillata, S. cantillans, S. melanocephala, S. mystacea, S. rueppelli, and S. melanothorax. Form named as S. ticehursti, described on basis of single specimen from S Morocco (near Ouarzazate), a.. View all taxonomy...
Although phenotypic characters approach those of S. conspicillata, is genetically more closely related to S. undata; recent genetic studies suggest close relationship also with S. sarda and S. balearica. Present species and three last-mentioned ones form a clade, all four being part of a larger group that also includes S. conspicillata, S. cantillans, S. melanocephala, S. mystacea, S. rueppelli, and S. melanothorax. 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 present species, is most probably an aberrant individual of race maroccana (which it resembles in general structure and in tail and tertial patterns), or a hybrid between it and race deserti of S. nana (which it resembles in having pale sandy-brown upperparts). Two subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- maroccana E. J. O. Hartert, 1917 - breeds in Anti-Atlas and Haut and Moyen Atlas, from Jebel Igdet (Morocco) E to Tlemcen (NW Algeria); non-breeding also S to W Sahara oases (as far S as Nouakchott, in W Mauritania).
- deserticola Tristram, 1859 - breeds Atlas Saharien and Aurès Mts, from Aïn Sefra (NW Algeria) E to Gafsa area (Tunisia); non-breeding also S to C & S Algeria (Tademaït Plateau, Tassili n-Ajjer, Ahaggar Mts), NE Mali and C Libya.
- Least Concern Enlarge map
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An adult bird moving around a bush and then, on the ground Locality Tagalm Pass, Meknès-Tafilalet Region, Morocco (ssp maroccana)
Eldert Groenewoud 3 March 2004 4 years ago 26 sec 3
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A male singing.
Locality Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz Region, Morocco (ssp deserticola)
Fran Trabalon 24 April 2012 3 weeks ago ADDED LAST MONTH 4.2 -
Male.
Locality Midelt, Meknès-Tafilalet Region, Morocco
Aleix Comas 27 March 2009 3 years ago 2.5
- No sound recordings available yet
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