Appearance:

Adult male easily recognized by black throat and strong white moustache stripes. Female often also with black spotted throat which, together with the moustache stripe and pale chest/belly, makes it easy to distinguish from other Sylvia. Females and immatures with pure white throat may be confused with female Sardinian Warbler, but show darker front half of head, paler and purer coloured belly and flanks (lacking brownish tinge) and white fringes to greater coverts and tertials (less obvious in worn plumage). For all plumages look for curved culmen, pointed bill and longer and squarer tail than Sardinian Warbler. Build more similar to Whitethroat than Sardinian Warbler, and also less agile than smaller Sylvia.

Sound:

Alarm call a rolling "trrrrrrrrt", similar to Spectacled Warbler, but less confluent (fewer pulses pr. sec.). Not as hard as corresponding call of Sardinian Warbler. Song a rapid mix of rolling alarm call type syllables, with interwoven single whistling notes. Rolling clearly softer than in Sardinian Warbler and often dominates the song with sequences of up to one second, giving it a very hectic feel. Each phrase rarely more than 2 seconds long. Some geographical variation exist and individuals with less rolling song easier to confuse with Sardinian and Cyprus Warbler.

Song (with extensive rolling), alarm, 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:Oscar en Jolanda Balm, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Arie en Anneke Kolders, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Arie Kolders, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Mick Sway, Licence,Link.

Appearance:

Small and very elegant falcon, with white throat and rufous thighs (adults). Long, narrow wings and medium long tail. Dark grey above and heavily streaked below. Head dark, with marked facial pattern resembling Peregrine. Tail often looks slightly wedge-shaped. Impressive speed of flight, with acrobatic skills when hunting. Often hunts flying birds high in the air. Slower flight action when hunting insects. Will glide, but seldom hovers (as opposed to Red-footed Falcon). Perched birds shows wing-tips reaching end of tail.

Sound:

Varied, but not very vocal. Calls when courting and at breeding ground. Most common sound a high-pitched "tew-tew-tew". Similar to Wryneck, but less pleading. Also a sneezing "ktcho".

Call:

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:markkilner, Licence,Link,

Sounds:Recorded by Harry Lehte,http://www.xeno-canto.org ,CC license