Western Orphean Warbler

Curruca hortensis - Fauvette orphée

Systematics

Order
:
Passeriformes
Family
:
Sylviidés
Genus
:
Curruca
Species
:
hortensis

Descriptor

Gmelin, JF, 1789

Biometrics

Size
: 15 cm
Wingspan
: 21 cm.
Weight
: 20 à 27 g

Geographic range

Distribution

Identification

The Mediterranean Warbler is a large species (one of the largest). The male has yellow eyes, dark grey crown, a black stripe from the beak to the back of the eye, grey upper back and wings, black tail with white edges, white throat and salmon-white underside.

Subspecific information 2 subspecies

Curruca hortensis hortensis (sw Europe, nw Africa)
Curruca hortensis cyrenaicae (ne Libya)

Foreign names

Fauvette orphée,
Curruca mirlona occidental,
toutinegra-real,
Orpheusgrasmücke,
dalos poszáta,
Westelijke Orpheusgrasmus,
Bigia grossa,
herdesångare,
Punersanger,
penica záhradná,
pěnice mistrovská,
Mestersanger,
lännenorfeuskerttu,
tallarol emmascarat,
Óðsöngvari,
lutniczka zachodnia,
parka ķauķis,
svetlooka penica,
Певчая славка,
メジロムシクイ,
歌林莺,
西方動聽林鶯,

Voice song and cries

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The song of the Western Orphean Warbler is a melodic phrase with repeated notes, interspersed with silences. It is somewhat reminiscent of the fluting song of the blackbird. The sharp calls are easily confused with those of other Sylviidae species.

Habitat

She frequents warm, semi-open environments that are rich in shrubs and trees, which can be found in the Mediterranean region in olive groves, gardens with hedges, and bushy heaths.

Behaviour character trait

This is a trans-Saharan migrant species. Unlike most other warblers, the Western Orphean Warbler looks for its food relatively high in vegetation, which provides it with the necessary concealment for its secretive habits.

Flight

The Western Orphean Warbler often sings while flying between two bushes.

Dietfeeding habits

The Western Orphean Warbler feeds on insects (diptera, orthoptera, butterflies...) and berries.

Reproduction nesting

The Western Orphean Warbler builds its nest in a bush or shrub, using pieces of vegetation (leaves, roots) as well as spider webs. It lays 4 to 5 eggs, which are incubated together for nearly 2 weeks.

Geographic range

Threats - protection

IUCN conservation status

Extinct

Threatened

Least
concern

Extinc
in the Wild

Near
threatened

Not
evaluated

EX EW CR EN VU NT LC NE

In France, the status of the Western Orphean Warbler needs to be confirmed. There is, however, a sharp decline in its range which is currently concentrated on the Mediterranean coastline. This phenomenon may be explained by the changes of the environment due to the abandonment of traditional agricultural practices (such as sheep and goat grazing).