Page 317 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

WARBLERS AND ALLIES
Order Passeriformes Family Sylviidae Species Sylvia nisoria
Barred Warbler
dark around
bright yellow
eye
mid-grey above
white
wingbars
MALE
dark eye
long,
square tail
with white MALE
corners (SUMMER)
IN FLIGHT white underside
thick, strong
pale-based bill with close grey
bars
JUVENILE
(AUTUMN)
white
grey-brown wingbars
above
dull eye
incompletely
barred
IMMATURE
dull whitish (1ST WINTER) underside
underside
FEMALE
ne of the larger warblers of Europe, the Barred Warbler is almost
OWryneck-like at times, heavily barred beneath and pale-eyed,
with a rather severe expression. In autumn, when it is most likely to FLIGHT: low, heavy, long-winged, tail flaunted or
be seen on migration in northwest Europe, most are pale, almost spread; high, fluttery song-flight.
unbarred juveniles, but they still have a heavy, AUTUMN MIGRANT
clumsy, rather aggressive character, and may crash The autumn bird is pale and stocky
about in low bushes.They are typically skulking with dark eyes and pale wingbars.
birds, not easy to watch, but eventually emerge
on the bush tops if conditions are calm and dry.
VOICE Loud, dry, hard rattle, trrr-r-r-r-rt; song
long, bright,musical warble,like high-pitched
Garden Warbler’s.
NESTING Substantial nest in thorny bush or
scrub; 4 or 5 eggs; 1 brood; May–July.
FEEDING Takes insects and spiders from foliage;
tugs at berries.
SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRENCE
Breeds in E Europe west to N Italy,
WRYNECK rounder head BLACKCAP 2 in bushy places and woodland
see p.263 similar to juvenile;
shorter tail see p.316 clearings; present from April to
dark band October. Rare migrant, chiefly in
along
back autumn, in NW Europe, on coasts,
browner plainer usually in thickets on dunes or low
smaller and coastal hills.
plainer
GARDEN WARBLER Seen in the UK
see p.314 JF M A M J J AS O N D
Length 15–17cm (6–6 1 ⁄2in) Wingspan 15–20cm (6–8in) Weight 12–15g ( 7 ⁄16 – 9 ⁄16oz)
Social Solitary Lifespan Up to 5 years Status Secure†
315