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PLATE 89: ICTERINE WARBLER AND SYLVIA WARBLERS I
Icterine Warbler Hippolais icterina V
L: 13.5. Fairly large yellow and olive warbler, showing peaked crown, heavy yellow-orange bill (red
gape when singing), very long wings with pale wing-panel in fresh plumage (less so in autumn
adult) and bluish-grey legs. Bare-faced appearance with conspicuous yellowish eye-ring and pale
lores making eye rather prominent; yellowish supercilium short, rarely to rear of ear-coverts. Differs
from Phylloscopus warblers in larger size, peaked crown, stronger bill, prominent wing-panel, and
lack of contrasting supercilium and eye-stripe. Juvenile has browner upperparts and paler, more
yellowish-white underparts with wing-panel more conspicuous than worn adult. Occasional
individuals occur with greyish-olive upperparts and whitish underparts, recalling Eastern
Olivaceous or Upcher’s Warblers, but note longer wing projection and voice. Voice Varied fast song
loud, highly mimetic, with harsh chatter and creaky ‘violin’ sounds, de-de-dwiie or djehk-hyyii; also
includes characteristic trisyllabic de-te-roy; alarm call a hoarse, sparrow-like tettettettett. Habitat
Trees, thickets; gardens, parks. Note Passage hatched, but rare; vagrant Oman, Qatar, UAE, Yemen.Eurasian Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla pm
L: 14. Similar in size to Common Whitethroat; plain grey-brown above with distinctive solidly black
cap in adult male and warm brown cap in female and juveniles; lacks any white in outer tail feathers,
these features preventing confusion with any other warbler. Sings from cover. Voice Joyful, liquid
song similar to that of Garden Warbler, rich and varied, ending with a few clear melodious fluted
notes. Call a hard insistent tack, or repetition, similar to Lesser Whitethroat; also short churr churr.
Habitat Woodland, scrub. Note Passage hatched, occasional in winter.Garden Warbler Sylvia borin pm
L: 14. Uniform grey-brown warbler with square-ended tail, short, relatively heavy bill, practically
no supercilium, often greyish sides of neck, rounded head and no white in tail or wings. Most
Acrocephalus, Hippolais and Iduna warblers have thinner, longer bills, Acrocephalus also have longer
undertail-coverts and rounded tails. See juvenile Barred Warbler for separation. Usually keeps well
hidden. Voice Song melodious, fast, with considerable jumps in pitch in irregular sequence, lacking
Blackcap’s ascending fluty finish. Habitat Woodland, scrub. Note Passage hatched, but scarce in
Arabia.Barred Warbler Sylvia nisoria pm
L: 15.5. Large warbler, adult with crescentic barring on underparts (reduced in female) and
yellowish iris; fairly long tail has conspicuous white corners when landing; tips of greater
coverts and tertials whitish. First-autumn birds dark-eyed, recalling Garden Warbler, but larger,
with white in tail, pale edges to wing-coverts and tertials, and some dark barring on undertail-
coverts; this plumage often seen in birds the following spring. Young Eastern Orphean Warbler
lacks pale markings on wing-coverts and tertials, and has contrasting dark ear-coverts, but
may show dark marks on undertail. Usually furtive, keeping hidden; movements rather heavy.
Voice Song resembles that of Garden Warbler but phrases shorter; only sub-song usually heard in
Arabia. Habitat Thickets, scrub, trees. Note Passage hatched; very rare Arabia in winter.Asian Desert Warbler Sylvia nana PM, WV
L: 11.5. Small, relatively long-tailed, sandy grey-brown warbler with rufous-brown tertials, rump
and closed uppertail; the spread tail is tricoloured (dark brown with white at sides and centre
rufous), often flicked half-cocked; iris and legs yellowish, fine bill largely yellowish; sometimes has
a pale area around eye. Terrestrial; hops and scuttles or flies low into cover, where remains hidden.
Often accompanies Desert Wheatear in winter. Voice Call a dry, weak purring drrrrrr, descending
and fading out; also chrr-rrr and high-pitched che-che-che-che. Song, sometimes uttered in flight,
starts with purring call, followed by short, clear, melodious trill. Habitat Desert, semi-desert,
hillsides with low scattered bushes, sparsely scrubby saltflats and plains, rarely wooded areas.
Note Passage and winter hatched.