Appearance:

Very similar to Balearic Warbler but breeding range does not overlap. Also easily confused with sympatric Dartford Warbler due to similar build with long tail, high crown, short wings and spiky bill. Told from latter by all over lead-grey plumage, lacking vinous underparts. Female similar to male but lacks dark lore and throat is paler . Immature birds are very similar to immature Dartford Warbler and are best identified by call, but have less brown back, paler throat and dirtier and greyer underparts.

Sound:

Song hurried and similar to both Sardinian, Dartford and Spectacled Warbler, but is softer with more tinny timbre. Interwoven soft rolling "trrrrtrrr" usually become more prominent towards the end of each phrase which often is concluded by 3-4 clear whistling "wit". Alarm call a short, Stonechat-like and grating "treck", very different from both Balearic and Dartford Warbler.

Alarm call and song:

Distribution:

Xeno-canto: map

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

CC

CC-photo:Wouter Van Gasse, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Wouter Van Gasse, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Kasper Hendriks, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Roland Wantia, Licence,Link.

Appearance:

Medium sized bunting, resembling a compact Yellowhammer in shape. Head green with yellow markings and underparts orange-brown. Distinct and characteristic, yellow eye-ring and earth-brown (not rufous) rump in all plumages. Female like male, but duller coloured, with streaked head and chest.

Sound:

Distinct bunting-like timbre with very prominent harmonics. Song simple, but varies from region to region. Sometimes structurally similar to yellowhammer, but slower, more melancholic, and with more clearly audible harmonics f.ex. "tze-ti tze-ti tze-ti tweeeee". Beginning with repeated alternating notes (tze-ti) and ending on a lower note fading out with a rising pitch. Sometimes without the ending note (like yellowhammer). Calls: a vaguely House Sparrow-like "chepp", with a ringing quality, and a sharper cut-off "zeep".

Song:

Distribution:

Xeno-canto: map

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

CC-photo:Mick Sway, Licence,Link.