Eastern Olivaceous Warbler

Hippolais pallida

Includes Western Olivaceous/Isabelline Warbler (H. opaca). See section on Taxonomy.

(Eastern) Olivaceous Warbler
Photo by john-henry
Lesvos, Greece

Identification

Total length 12-15 cm (4½-6 in). Bill rather long and forehead "flat". Tail relatively long and square-endeed (sides rounded). Primary extention ca. ½ tertial-length. Dull greyish-brown above, whitish below with a dull greyish-brown tinge to flanks and chest. Eye-ring, lores and poorly marked supercilium buffy-white. Upper mandible blackish, lower dull orange-yellow.

Western race (see Taxonomy) is slightly larger, heavier-billed and browner than the eastern races.

(Western) Olivaceous Warbler
Photo by mehdhalaouate
Marrakech, south-western Morocco

Distribution

The western subspecies (see Taxonomy) breeds in Spain and north-western Africa from Western Sahara to north-western Libya. Winters in western Africa (mainly in the Sahel zone). Leave breeding grounds in July-October and return in March-April (North West Africa) or May (Spain).

The eastern subspecies breeds from the Balkans east through Greece, Crete, Cyprus, Turkey, Middle East, the Caucasus, to Iran and Afghanistan. In North Africa at scattered localities in inland Algeria and Tunesia (possibly also south-eastern Morocco), northern Libya and in the Nile Delta Valley and at scattered oases in the west of Egypt. Winter in Central and Eastern Africa, and south-western Arabian peninsula. Leave breeding grounds in July-September and return in April-May. Resident or only with local movements in Northern Somalia and parts of central, north-central and north-eastern Africa.

Vagrants have been recorded widely in the Western Palearctic in the British Isles, France, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Czechoslovakia, Italy, Malta, Canary Islands, Madeira and the Cape Verde Islands. Many of these will not have been subspecifically identified, but most in Europe are probably of the Eastern subspecies.

Several older British records have been rejected after a recent review but those that remain (c.10) have been referred to the Eastern subspecies. Most British records have been in the south-west in September-October although there have been records from the Northern Isles and the east coast.

Taxonomy

Now commonly split into two species based on mtDNA, song, morphology and behavior:

• Western Olivaceous/Isabelline Warbler (H. opaca).
• Eastern Olivaceous Warbler (H. pallida, with races reiseri, elaeica, laeneni and alulensis).

Howard and Moore place this species in genus Iduna

For further, see Description, Distribution and Behavior.

Habitat

Wide range of wooded and brushy habitats. Prefers areas with some tall trees and dense undergrowth, but avoids closed forest. Often near water. Fairly common in most of its range, but more scarce in Spain.

Behaviour

When foraging, the eastern races flick their closed tail up-and-down; a habit lacking in the western race.

Diet

Feeds on insects and spiders. To lesser extend also fruits. Generally feeds at high levels, but sometimes lower on migration.

Breeding

The nest is a cup made of plant-material placed fairly low in the fork of a branch. The 3-5 eggs are incubated by the female, but both parents feed the nestlings.

Vocalisation

<flashmp3>Hippolais pallida (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program

External Links

Search for photos of Eastern Olivaceous Warbler in the gallery