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Sardinian Warbler

(Sylvia melanocephala)
German name(s): "Samtkopfgrasmücke", "Samtkopf-Grasmücke"
Size: 13-14 cm
Weight: 12-25 g

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Sardinian Warbler at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "melanocephala"

ADULT

MALE

Frontal view of a male Sardinian Warbler looking sideways (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2017]

Near-frontal view of a male Sardinian Warbler (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vilarelhos, Alfandega da Fe, Tras-os-Montes, Norte, Portugal, January 2023]

Near-frontal view of a male Sardinian Warbler looking sideways (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2023]

Near-lateral view of a male Sardinian Warbler (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2016]

Close-up lateral view of a male Sardinian Warbler (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2019]

Lateral view of a male Sardinian Warbler (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2015]

Lateral view of a male Sardinian Warbler (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia river, Santa Justa, Coruche, Portugal, February 2021]

Lateral view of a male Sardinian Warbler with its tail cocked to vertical (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2015]

Lateral view of a male Sardinian Warbler (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Divor river, Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2020]

Near-dorsal view of a male Sardinian Warbler (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[November 2017]

Dorsal view of a male Sardinian Warbler (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Divor river, Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2020]

FEMALE

Frontal view of a female Sardinian Warbler looking sideways (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vilarelhos, Alfandega da Fe, Tras-os-Montes, Norte, Portugal, January 2023]

Frontal view of a female Sardinian Warbler looking sideways (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2014]

Near-frontal view of a female Sardinian Warbler (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil, Alentejo, Portugal, July 2015]

Near-lateral view of a female Sardinian Warbler (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vilarelhos, Alfandega da Fe, Tras-os-Montes, Norte, Portugal, January 2023]

Lateral view of a female Sardinian Warbler (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2018]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a female Sardinian Warbler (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2014]

Dorsal/ventral view of a female Sardinian Warbler (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2014]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Sardinian Warbler; note the grey head, dark iris, pale eye-ring and buff undertail coverts
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2014]

Dorsal view of a juvenile Sardinian Warbler (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2014]

Frontal view of a fledgling Sardinian Warbler (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2020]

Near-frontal view of a fledgling Sardinian Warbler (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2020]

Lateral view of a fledgling Sardinian Warbler (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2020]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Apr - Jul Eggs: 3 - 5 Incubation period: 12 - 15 days Fledging age: 12 - 13 days

Nest building: Female Incubation: Female & male Dependent care: Female & male

Sardinian Warblers have a preference for nesting in low shrubs or brambles, also in gardens. They usually have 2 broods per season, with 1 or 3 brood/s also possible.

Nest

Type: Basket Material: Twigs, grass stems Height above ground: 0.3 - 1? m

Lateral view of a Sardinian Warbler chick that had fallen out of its nest and was put back to safety (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2014]

View from above into a Sardinian Warbler nest with four eggs in it (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2019]

Eggs

Size: 19 x 14 mm Colour: Grey to pink-grey, with mid- to dark-brown speckles Shape: Tapered oval

Behaviour

Female Sardinian Warbler, left, begging the male, right, for food? (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora Evora, Portugal, January 2016]

Food, Diet

Near-lateral view of a male Sardinian Warbler with its prey, a small insect (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2015]

Near-lateral view of a female Sardinian Warbler with its prey, a caterpillar (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2014]

Lateral view of a female Sardinian Warbler with its prey, a caterpillar (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2014]

Lateral view of a female Sardinian Warbler swallowing its prey (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil, Alentejo, Portugal, January 2018]

Near-frontal view of a female Sardinian Warbler with pollen stuck to its forehead, which indicates that they may feed on nectar (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2015]

Lateral view of a female Sardinian Warbler with pollen stuck to its forehead (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2015]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

sardwrb_jp_20180407.m4a melanocephala
(Portugal)
Territorial calls? © JP
sardwrb_jp_20200117.m4a melanocephala
(Portugal)
Warning calls? © JP
sardwrb_jp_20201103.m4a melanocephala
(Portugal)
Warning calls? © JP
sardwrb_jp_20190601.m4a melanocephala
(Portugal)
Distress calls
(chick fallen from nest)
© JP

More Sardinian Warbler sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

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.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site?
If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.