Sardinian Warbler

The Sardinian Warbler is a small Mediterranean warbler that leads a rather hidden life and is usually noticed by its quick cricket-like call. The adult male tends to show up more in the spring when it sings. A small grey bird is seen with a fairly long tail, a black cap on its head and contrasting white throat. If we are lucky enough to observe it closely, we will see that its eye is beautifully coloured; the honey-coloured iris surrounded by a light red granular orbit. The beak is dark grey with the base of the lower jaw bluish grey. Legs a more or less bright orange colour. When it flies from bush to bush, a bit of white can be seen on the black, slightly staggered tail. The external feather of the external pair of rectrices is all white and the internal one is largely white at its extremity. The 2 or 3 neighbouring pairs of rectrices also have white at the tips, giving the impression that the tail is bordered with white.
The adult female, more discreet, is generally brown, with medium brown on top and light beige brown on the sides, also with a contrasting white throat. The cap is greyish. The tail also has white, but not as obvious. Same eye, beak and legs as the male.
The juvenile is the female type, but all brown, with no grey cap. The throat is whitish, not contrasting. The eye is hardly visible. The iris is grey-brown. The orbital circle is pale red surrounded by a ring of tiny whitish feathers. White on the tail is less distinct. Legs are greyish. First-winter birds start to resemble the adults of their sex, but with still juvenile bare parts and non-moulted juvenile remiges, so they are worn out. In young males, the cap is blackish brown, the top not yet all grey and the orbital ring pinkish brown.