Sylvia hortensis is a widespread but patchily distributed summer visitor to southern Europe, which accounts for less than half of its global breeding range. Its European breeding population is large (>170,000 pairs), but underwent a large decline between 1970-1990. Although the trend of the key Spanish population during 1990-2000 was unknown, the species declined in Turkey, and probably underwent a small decline overall. Its total population size has almost certainly not recovered to the level that preceded its decline, and consequently the species is provisionally evaluated as Depleted.

Breeds in lower middle latitudes of west Palearctic, mainly in warm, dry Mediterranean climate but secondarily in steppe and warm temperate zones, not only in lowland but on hillsides and mountain foothills.

End of Apr to late June in S Europe, mid Nay to early Jun in S-E Europe, mid Apr to early Jun in N-W Africa. Nest site, in branches of small trees and shrubs, from ground up to 1,4 m above. Nest, well-constructed cup of grass and plant stems, with some twigs, bound together with cobwebs, moss, fibres, and plant down, lined with finer grasses, fibres, and plant down, and sometimes spider cocoons. 3-5 eggs, sub-elliptical, smooth and glossy, whiter very faintly tinged bluish, sparsely spotted, speckled, and blotched brown, black or olive, and grey, markings heavier at broad end. Incubation, 12-14 days, by both sexes.

Chiefly invertebrates, also berries. Prefers to feed in larger bushes and trees where it flits about canopy picking small insects from branches

This species has a large range, with an estimated global Extent of Occurrence of 1,000,000-10,000,000 km². It has a large global population, including an estimated 340,000-930,000 individuals in Europe (BirdLife International in prep.). Global population trends have not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e. declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

It is migratory, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa. It is a rare vagrant to northern and north-western Europe.

article number 1 Title
Orphean Warbler, species report Spain
Author(s): Javier Blasco-Zumeta
Abstract: Orphean Warbler, species report Spain..[more]..
Source: Laboratorio Virtual Ibercaja
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