Eastern Subalpine Warbler
The Subalpine Warbler is a small typical Sylvia warbler. The adult male has a blue-grey back and head, brick-red underparts, white malar stripes ("moustaches") and red eyes. The female is mainly brown above with a greyer head and whitish below with a pink flush.
The Subalpine Warbler breeds in the southern most areas of Europe and in north west Africa. It is migratory and winters along the southern edge of the Sahara. It can also occur as a vagrant well away from its breeding range in both spring and autumn as far north as the UK. The Subalpine Warbler is a bird of dry open country often on hill slopes with bushes and scrub for nesting.
The Subalpine Warbler is divided into 3 distinct sub-species which may possibly be sufficiently diverged to qualify as 3 separate species. The 3 sub-species have differing male plumages and distinctive calls.
Western Subalpine Warbler: breeds in Iberia, south France and north west Italy
Eastern Subalpine Warbler: breeds in central and south Italy through to the Balkans and west Turkey
Moltoni's Warbler: breeds on Mallorca, Cabrera, Corsica and Sardinia and in north Italy
The Eastern Subalpine Warbler differs from the nominate race by its deeper blue-grey upperparts, a blackish mask on the lores and ear-coverts, brick reddish-brown colouration confined to the throat and breast and sharply demarcated from a largely white belly, paler flanks and a wider white malar stripe.
Date: 14th May 2015
Location: Small Prespa Lake (Mikri Prespa), West Macedonia, Greece
The Subalpine Warbler breeds in the southern most areas of Europe and in north west Africa. It is migratory and winters along the southern edge of the Sahara. It can also occur as a vagrant well away from its breeding range in both spring and autumn as far north as the UK. The Subalpine Warbler is a bird of dry open country often on hill slopes with bushes and scrub for nesting.
The Subalpine Warbler is divided into 3 distinct sub-species which may possibly be sufficiently diverged to qualify as 3 separate species. The 3 sub-species have differing male plumages and distinctive calls.
Western Subalpine Warbler: breeds in Iberia, south France and north west Italy
Eastern Subalpine Warbler: breeds in central and south Italy through to the Balkans and west Turkey
Moltoni's Warbler: breeds on Mallorca, Cabrera, Corsica and Sardinia and in north Italy
The Eastern Subalpine Warbler differs from the nominate race by its deeper blue-grey upperparts, a blackish mask on the lores and ear-coverts, brick reddish-brown colouration confined to the throat and breast and sharply demarcated from a largely white belly, paler flanks and a wider white malar stripe.
Date: 14th May 2015
Location: Small Prespa Lake (Mikri Prespa), West Macedonia, Greece
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Also in: West Macedonia
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