Appearance:

Small falcon recalling both Kestrel and Hobby at a distance, but most likely to be confused with latter. Adult male unmistakable with ashy grey plumage and rufous red "trousers". Colour of trousers not always obvious, but silvery upperwing often visible in flashes at distance. Adult female also distinct with almost unstreaked buff underparts and under wing-coverts, buff neck and crown, dark mask and white cheeks. Immature most likely to be confused with Hobby but differs in barred upper side of tail, pale forehead, white (half)collar, contrasting dark trailing edge to wing and more striking fringes to coverts. Underparts also less heavy streaked. Flight profile similar to Hobby but tail slightly longer and more rounded. Hunts insects in flight, but in contrast to Hobby, hovers frequently and with deeper wingbeats than Kestrel.

Sound:

Flight call very similar to Hobby, a wryneck-like series of "kew kew kew kew", each call falling rapidly in pitch. Sometimes given in a harsher more staccato version. Very vocal at colony with various squeaky and whimpering begging calls.

Flight 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-sound:Tomas Belka, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Jan Thomas Landgren, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Paul Cools, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Paul Cools, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Jan Thomas Landgren, Licence,Link.

Appearance:

Small and slender Sylvia about the size of Lesser Whitethroat. The short wings, steep forehead and striking long tail alone is often enough for positive id. Upperparts dark slate grey, and underparts of male vinous red with finely white spotted throat. Female less brightly coloured with more brownish tones and less red underparts. Immature duller still, with brownish underparts rather than red. Yellow base of lower mandible in all ages and sex. Lacks the white moustache-stripe of Subalpine Warbler. Tail frequently held raised. Skulking behaviour. Prefers scrubs/Gorse and is usually only glimpsed when moving low from bush to bush, or when singing from more exposed perch.

Sound:

Contact call a diagnostic, very nasal "chirr", quite different from other Sylvia, and used freely. Warning call a har "tuc". Song similar to Sardinian Warbler, but usually identifiable by frequently interspersed contact calls. Phrases are quite short, and pauses are as long or longer than the actual phrases. Each phrase typicall starts and ends with a more tonal segment than the regular chattering.

Song (with contact 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:Marc Kolkman, Licence,Link.

CC-sound:Peter Boesman, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:chausinho, Licence,Link.

CC-Photo:Viskens Michel, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Ximo Galarza i Planes, Licence,Link.