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Upcher's Warbler (Hippolais languida) Size: 14-15 cm; wing span: 20-23 cm Body mass: 12-13 g

Oman: Family Group 26 Family Group 26 Table Crested Lark Marsh Warbler Clamorous Reed Warbler Eastern Olivaceous Warbler Upcher's Warbler Graceful Prinia Streaked Scrub Warbler White-eared Bulbul Yellow-vented Bulbul Red-vented Bulbul Common Myna(h) Thumbnails page Classification table Index of bird names Birds home page

Similar species

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

Physical description Click here for a physical description Upcher's Warblers are medium-sized warblers. Their entire plumage is inconspicuous. The supercilia and front are light-grey; only the sides may have a buff tint, the crown, lores, ear coverts and the back are brownish-grey. The dark-grey flight feathers only have minimal grey edge lining; the tail and the greater coverts don't have any. The irises are dark. The rather stout, straihgt bill is dark-greyish on top and more brownish on the sides and underside. The legs and feet are greyish-yellow to greyish-pink.

Taxonomy, classification See Upcher's Warbler at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat 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 . The global distribution of Upcher's Warbler is available HERE . Upcher's Warbler is a breeding migrant to parts of Asia Minor and from there south-eastwards, through parts of Iraq and Iran into Pakistan. They spend the northern winters in eastern Africa, from near the eastern cape to about Tanzania. During their migration, Upcher's Warblers can be found in parts of Arabia, including northern Oman. Some birds stay in Arabia during the winter months. During their migration Eastern Olivaceous Warblers can be found in semi-desert country and wadis dominated by acacias, where they can often be seen hunting insects in those shrubs.

Sightings Click here for sighting information An Upcher's Warbler was spotted by us on the Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, in April 2010. In the same month a bird was spotted with a deformed bill; this specimen was identified by an expert as an Upcher's Warbler (see below).

Photos

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of an Upcher's Warbler
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, April 2010]

Close-up near-lateral view of an Upcher's Warbler checking out the photographer
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, April 2010]

Near-lateral view of an Upcher's Warbler with its tail fanned
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, April 2010]

Lateral portrait of an Upcher's Warbler
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, April 2010]

Lateral view of an Upcher's Warbler
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, April 2010]

Close-up lateral view of an Upcher's Warbler with drooping wings
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, April 2010]

Close-up lateral view of a preening Upcher's Warbler
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, April 2010]

Upcher's Warbler with a deformed bill

While observed by us, the bird shown below was not obviously hampered by its misaligned mandibles, several insects falling victim to its snaps.

Frontal view of an Upcher's Warbler with a deformed bill
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, April 2010]

Lateral view of an Upcher's Warbler with a deformed bill
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, April 2010]

Lateral view of an Upcher's Warbler with a deformed bill, slightly different stance
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, April 2010]

Different lateral view of an Upcher's Warbler with a deformed bill; while most of the time hunting insects in the top branches of an acacia, this bird also occasionally went down to the ground
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, April 2010]

Dorsal view of an Upcher's Warbler
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, April 2010]

Dorsal view of a preening Upcher's Warbler; here one can clearly see the characteristic light colour of the undertail coverts
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, April 2010]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: ?

Mobility: Migratory

Elementary unit: Solitary

In Oman, Upcher's Warblers are found almost exclusively during their migration, with very few birds reported at other times of the year.

Food, Diet

Like all warblers known to us, Upcher's Warblers feed on insects that they catch in flight or pick from foliage.

Close-up lateral view of an Upcher's Warbler hunting insects in an acacia shrub
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, April 2010]

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.

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