Marmora's Warbler
Encyclopedia
Marmora's Warbler, Sylvia sarda, is a typical warbler
, genus
Sylvia. It breeds on Mediterranean islands, typically including Corsica
and Sardinia
. The smaller Balearic Islands
subspecies
is increasingly given specific status as Balearic Warbler, Sylvia balearica. These two seem to form a superspecies
which in turn groups with Tristram's Warbler
and the Dartford Warbler
(Helbig 2001, Jønsson & Fjeldså 2006). They are generally resident but some birds migrate
south to winter in north Africa
. They are rare vagrants to northern and western Europe
.
These are small, long tailed, large-headed birds, overall very similar to their close relatives in thr Dartford Warbler group. Marmora's Warblers are grey above and below, lacking the brick-red underparts of the Dartford Warbler. Adult males have darker patches on the forehead and between the eye and the pointed bill. The legs and iris are red. The song is a fast rattle. Immature birds can be confused with young Dartford Warblers, which are also grey below, but Marmora's have a paler throat. Their iris is dark.
The Balearic Warbler is 20% smaller than the nominate form. It is also paler below, with a pinkish tinge.
These small passerine
bird
s are found in open country with thorny bushes and heather. 3-5 eggs are laid in a nest in a bush. Like most "warbler
s", they are insectivorous.
This bird is named after the Italian naturalist Alberto della Marmora
.
Typical warbler
The typical warblers are small birds belonging to the genus Sylvia in the "Old World warbler" family Sylviidae. There are 28 species currently included in the genus, including five species formerly treated in the genus Parisoma, a treatment which left Sylvia paraphyletic...
, genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Sylvia. It breeds on Mediterranean islands, typically including Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
and Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
. The smaller Balearic Islands
Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands are an archipelago of Spain in the western Mediterranean Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula.The four largest islands are: Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera. The archipelago forms an autonomous community and a province of Spain with Palma as the capital...
subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
is increasingly given specific status as Balearic Warbler, Sylvia balearica. These two seem to form a superspecies
Superspecies
A superspecies is a group of at least two more or less distinctive species with approximately parapatric distributions. Not all species complexes, whether cryptices or ring species are superspecies, and vice versa, but many are...
which in turn groups with Tristram's Warbler
Tristram's Warbler
The Tristram's Warbler is a species of Old World warbler in the Sylviidae family.It is found in Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia, and Western Sahara.Its natural habitat is subtropical dry shrubland.-References:...
and the Dartford Warbler
Dartford Warbler
The Dartford Warbler, Sylvia undata, is a typical warbler from the warmer parts of western Europe, and northwestern Africa. Its breeding range lies west of a line from southern England to the heel of Italy...
(Helbig 2001, Jønsson & Fjeldså 2006). They are generally resident but some birds migrate
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
south to winter in north Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. They are rare vagrants to northern and western Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
These are small, long tailed, large-headed birds, overall very similar to their close relatives in thr Dartford Warbler group. Marmora's Warblers are grey above and below, lacking the brick-red underparts of the Dartford Warbler. Adult males have darker patches on the forehead and between the eye and the pointed bill. The legs and iris are red. The song is a fast rattle. Immature birds can be confused with young Dartford Warblers, which are also grey below, but Marmora's have a paler throat. Their iris is dark.
The Balearic Warbler is 20% smaller than the nominate form. It is also paler below, with a pinkish tinge.
These small passerine
Passerine
A passerine is a bird of the order Passeriformes, which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds or, less accurately, as songbirds, the passerines form one of the most diverse terrestrial vertebrate orders: with over 5,000 identified species, it has roughly...
bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s are found in open country with thorny bushes and heather. 3-5 eggs are laid in a nest in a bush. Like most "warbler
Warbler
There are a number of Passeriformes called "warblers". They are not particularly closely related, but share some characteristics, such as being fairly small, vocal and insectivorous....
s", they are insectivorous.
This bird is named after the Italian naturalist Alberto della Marmora
Alberto della Marmora
Alberto Ferrero La Marmora was an Italian soldier and naturalist.Born in Turin, La Marmora was a general in the Napoleonic Wars and was personally decorated by Napoleon I. He was later employed by the King of Sardinia...
.