Sub Alpine Warbler

Sylvia cantillans

Family:

Warblers

Length:

13cm

Wingspan:

15cm to 18cm

Weight:

10g to 15g

The Sub Alpine Warbler is a relatively rare summer migrant with a seasonal population on the Island estimated to be around one thousand. This bird tends to favour specific locations including The Boquer Valley, the road up to the Cap de Formentor, Cap Blanc and the coastal area at Porto Colom.

Technical description

Subalpine Warbler (Sylvia cantillans) is a small typical warbler which breeds in the southernmost areas of Europe and northwest Africa. This small passerine bird is migratory, and winters along the southern edge of the Sahara. Like most Sylvia species, it has distinct male and female plumages. The adult male has a grey back and head, brick-red underparts, and white malar streaks (“moustaches”). The female is mainly brown above, with a greyer head and whitish below with a pink flush. The subalpine warbler’s song is fast and rattling.

Other birds in the Warblers family

Moustached Warbler

Balearic Warbler

This small but long tailed, large headed warbler, is a resident of the Balearic Islands in the western Mediterranean where it is common, although is not present on the island of Menorca.

Sardinian Warbler

Yellow-Browed Warbler

Wood Warbler

Willow Warbler

Whitethroat

Sedge Warbler

Savi's Warbler

Reed Warbler

Not to be confused with the Great Reed Warbler, this relatively nondescript, solitary little bird is an annual visitor to the UK from sub-Saharan Africa, arriving in mid April and departing early in October.

Marsh Warbler

Lesser Whitethroat

Grasshopper Warbler

Garden Warbler

This mainly plain, solitary, short billed, stocky little warbler is widespread throughout Europe and a long distance migrant to Africa, crossing the Sahara Desert without pause.

Dartford Warbler

Mainly confined to lowland heaths in southern England, the Dartford warbler is an elusive little resident breeder with distinctive plumage and physical characteristics.

Chiffchaff

Until recently this small, solitary, old world leaf warbler was classified as being a member of the family Sylviidae, but following extensive research and reclassification, now falls within the family of Phylloscopidae.

Cetti's Warbler

Named after the 18th century Italian zoologist and Jesuit priest, Francisco Cetti this small plain looking bush warbler is frequently heard but difficult to spot.

Blackcap

Within its range and to differentiate it from other similar species, it is often referred to as an Eurasian Blackcap. This sexually dichromatic, stocky little warbler, is a member of the genus Sylvia and is sometimes nicknamed the Northern Nightingale due to its beautiful and frequent song.

Aquatic Warbler

Aquatic Warblers are rare but regular passage migrants to northwest Europe in the autumn.