Desert Warbler

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Desert Warblers
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Sylviidae
Genus: Sylvia
species
  • Sylvia nana
(Hemprich & Ehrenberg, 1833, southern El Tor, Sinai Peninsula)
  • Sylvia deserti
(Loche, 1858, Algerian Sahara)

The Desert Warblers are typical warblers which consist of two distinctive forms. These were previously treated as subspecies, but are now given specific status. They are still each other's closest living relatives, and their relationships to other typical warblers are not clear. They may be somewhat close to the Whitethroat (which in turn is not close to the Lesser Whitethroat). Particularly, female Whitethroats look much like a richly-colored Asian Desert Warbler minus supercilium. But it seems nonetheless that all these 3 taxa are fairly basal members of the genus.(Helbig 2001, Jønsson & Fjeldså 2006)

  • African Desert Warbler, Sylvia deserti is a resident breeder in northwest Africa at the fringe of the Sahara Desert.
Basic color pale sand
  • Asian Desert Warbler, Sylvia nana breeds in south central temperate Asia. This form is migratory, wintering in north easternmost Africa, Arabia and India. It has occurred as a rare vagrant as far west as Great Britain.
Basic color gray sand

Sexes are almost identical in both. This is a small "warbler" with a sand-coloured back and head, whitish underparts, and a yellow eye. Like its relatives, it is insectivorous, but will also take berries. The song is a distinctive jingle often given in an advertisement flight.

This small passerine bird breeds in semi-desert and other arid environments, as long as some bushes for nesting occur. The nest is built in low shrub, and 4-6 eggs are laid.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  • Helbig, A. J. (2001): Phylogeny and biogeography of the genus Sylvia. In: Shirihai, Hadoram: Sylvia warblers: 24-25[verification needed]. Princeton University Press, Princeton, N.J.. ISBN 0691088330


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