Sardinian warbler
| Sardinian warbler | |
|---|---|
| Adult male, Methana peninsula, Greece | |
| Female, Souss-Massa National Park, Morocco | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Sylviidae |
| Genus: | Curruca |
| Species: | C. melanocephala |
| Binomial name | |
| Curruca melanocephala (Gmelin, JF, 1789) | |
| Subspecies | |
|
2-6, see text | |
| Range of C. melanocephala Resident Breeding Non-breeding | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Sylvia melanocephala | |
The Sardinian warbler (Curruca melanocephala) is a common and widespread typical warbler from the Mediterranean region. Like most Curruca species, it has distinct male and female plumages. The adult male has a grey back, whitish underparts, black head, white throat and red eyes. Plumages are somewhat variable even in the same locality, with the intensity of a reddish hue on upper- and/or underside that varies from absent to (in some subspecies) pronounced. The female is mainly brown above and buff below, with a grey head. The Sardinian warbler's song is fast and rattling, and is very characteristic of the Mediterranean areas where this bird breeds.