Eastern olivaceous warbler

Eastern olivaceous warbler
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Acrocephalidae
Genus:	Iduna
Species:	I. pallida
Binomial name
Iduna pallida (Hemprich & Ehrenberg, 1833)
Synonyms
Hippolais pallida (Ehrenberg, 1833)

File:Iduna pallida elaeica MHNT225 Grèce.jpg

Eggs of Iduna pallida elaeica MHNT

The eastern olivaceous warbler (Iduna pallida) is a "warbler", formerly placed in the Old World warblers when these were a paraphyletic wastebin taxon. It is now considered a member of the acrocephaline warblers, Acrocephalidae, in the tree warbler genus Iduna. It was formerly regarded as part of a wider "olivaceous warbler" species, but as a result of modern taxonomic developments, this species is now usually considered distinct from the western olivaceous warbler, Iduna opaca.

It is a small passerine bird, found in dry open country, including cultivation, with bushes or some trees. 2-3 eggs are laid in a nest in low in undergrowth or a bush. Like most warblers, Eastern Olivaceous is insectivorous.

It is a medium-sized warbler, more like a very pale reed warbler than its relative the melodious warbler. The adult has a plain pale brown back and whitish underparts. The bill is strong and pointed and the legs grey. The sexes are identical, as with most warblers, but young birds are more buff on the belly. It has a characteristic downward tail flick.

Eastern olivaceous warbler breeds in south east Europe and the Middle East. It is migratory, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa or Arabia. It is a rare vagrant to northern Europe.

Western olivaceous warbler differs from this species in being larger and having a browner tinge to the upperparts; it also has a larger bill. Eastern olivaceous warbler sometimes has a greenish tinge to its upperparts, and can be very difficult to separate from Sykes's warbler, Iduna rama. The song is a fast nasal babbling.

Distribution

North Africa

Eastern olivaceous warbler of the subspecies reiseri is thought to be locally common as a breeding species in southeast Morocco.

References

• Fregin, S., M. Haase, U. Olsson, and P. Alström. 2009. Multi-locus phylogeny of the family Acrocephalidae (Aves: Passeriformes) - the traditional taxonomy overthrown. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 52: 866-878.
• Sangster, G., J.M. Collinson, P.-A. Crochet, A.G. Knox, D.T. Parkin, L. Svensson, and S.C. Votier. 2011. Taxonomic recommendations for British birds: seventh report. Ibis 153: 883-892.