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Western Bonelli's Warbler
(Phylloscopus bonelli)
German name(s): "Berglaubsänger"
Size: 10.5-11.5 cm
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Similar species |
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Physical description |
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Click here for a physical description
Western Bonelli's Warblers are very small leaf warblers.
Both sexes look alike. Their
plumage
is quite nondescript, with an entirely pale-grey front
and brownish-grey head and back. The pale lores extend into
pale supercilia that connect with equally pale eye-rings.
Only the yellowish leading edges of the flight feathers
and the outer tail feathers provide some colour contrast.
The irises are dark-brown; the bill is pinkish pale, with a
darker, greyish upper mandible. Legs and feet are grey.
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Twitcher's tip |
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Western Bonelli's Warbler is the palest and greyest of the Eurasian
Phylloscopus
leaf warblers.
Direct comparison of primary projection of
Common Chiffchaff (top),
Western Bonelli's Warbler (centre) and
Wood Warbler (bottom)
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Western
Bonelli's Warbler at Wikipedia .
Click here for classification information
The Western Bonelli's Warbler is no longer considered to be
conspecific with the Eastern Bonelli's Warbler, which is now
called "Phylloscopus orientalis".
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
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The global distribution of the Western Bonelli's Warbler is available
HERE
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The Western Bonelli's Warbler is a migratory species.
Their wintering grounds are in western sub-Saharan Africa,
in an area spanning from Mauretania in the West to the
Chad in the East.
They breed in (near-)coastal North-west Africa and in
southern, south-western to southern central Europe.
In Europe Western Bonelli's Warblers are summer breeding migrants.
They are found primarily in Iberia and in much of France, and also
on the Balearic Islands, Sardinia, Corsica and in much of Italy,
except the southern-most part, and along the eastern Adriatic
coastline. There are also occasional reports from the Benelux
countries, far western Germany and southern England. Farther to
the North and East they are vagrants.
Western Bonelli's Warblers breed in low-altitude woods with
undergrowth in the North of their range, whereas in the southern
parts they prefer mountain slopes with oak and pine forest.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
J. Pires reports finding a Western Bonelli's
Warbler in Mora, Evora, Portugal, in July 2014.
Another bird was found by J. Piresat Mora, Evora, Portugal, in March 2019.
All sighting and photographic information presented on this
page has kindly been contributed by J. Pires.
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Photos |
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ADULT |
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Frontal view of a Western Bonelli's Warbler
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, July 2014]
Frontal view of a Western Bonelli's Warbler
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, July 2014]
Near-lateral view of a Western Bonelli's Warbler
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2019]
Near-lateral view of a Western Bonelli's Warbler
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, July 2014]
Lateral view of a Western Bonelli's Warbler
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, July 2014]
Lateral view of a moulting Western Bonelli's Warbler
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2019]
Near-dorsal view of a Western Bonelli's Warbler
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2019]
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Call(s)/Song |
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For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own; are welcome.
More Western Bonelli's Warbler sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
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These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.