Eastern Bonelli's Warbler
Scientific Name: Phylloscopus orientalisMaltese Name: Vjolin tal-Lvant
Family: Warblers (Sylviidae)
Occurence: Scarce
Breeds in Malta: No
Overview:
Eastern Bonelli's Warbler (sometimes known as Balkan Warbler) is a warbler in the leaf warbler genus Phylloscopus. It is a small warbler. The adult has a plain grey-green back, green-toned rump and wings and whitish underparts. The bill is small and pointed and the legs brown. The Eastern Bonelli's Warbler lacks the browner tinge to the upperparts that Western Bonelli's Warbler has; it sometimes has a greenish tinge instead. The song is a fast monotone trill, only slightly different from Western Bonelli's. This bird is named after the Italian ornithologist Franco Andrea Bonelli. The species is migratory, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa. It is a rare vagrant in Northern Europe.
Status:
Scarce migrant, a few sightings each year, mostly in singles.
When to See:
March till May in Spring. Rarely recorded in Autumn, from late September till early November.
Where to See:
May be seen anywhere with adequate vegitation. Places where it is usually recorded through-out the year include Ghadira and Simar Nature Reserves and Comino.
Photographs:
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Eastern Bonelli's Warbler, Ghadira Nature Reserve, 10th April 2010 |
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Eastern Bonelli's Warbler, Ghadira Nature Reserve, 24th April 2010 |
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Eastern Bonelli's Warbler, Ghadira Nature Reserve, 24th April 2010 |
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