Balearic warbler

Balearic warbler
Adult male
Conservation status
Not recognized (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Sylviidae
Genus:	Sylvia
Species:	S. balearica
Binomial name
Sylvia balearica Temminck, 1820, Sardinia

Balearic warbler (Sylvia balearica) is a typical warbler, genus Sylvia. It is endemic to the Balearic Islands. It groups with the Marmora's warbler, Tristram's warbler and the Dartford warbler (Helbig 2001, Jønsson & Fjeldså 2006).

These are small, long tailed, large-headed birds, overall very similar to their close relatives in the Dartford warbler group. Balearic warblers are grey above and pale grey below, adding a pinkish tinge. Adult males have darker patches on the forehead and between the eye and the pointed bill. The legs and iris are red.

These small passerine birds are found in open country with thorny bushes and heather. 3-5 eggs are laid in a nest in a bush. Like most "warblers", they are insectivorous.

References

• Helbig, A. J. (2001): Phylogeny and biogeography of the genus Sylvia. In: Shirihai, Hadoram: Sylvia warblers: 24-29. Princeton University Press, Princeton, N.J. ISBN 0-691-08833-0

• Jønsson, Knud A. & Fjeldså, Jon (2006): A phylogenetic supertree of oscine passerine birds (Aves: Passeri). Zool. Scripta 35(2): 149–186. doi:10.1111/j.1463-6409.2006.00221.x (HTML abstract)

External links

• The Balearic warbler can be readily observed on this itinerary in Mallorca