Warblers & Allies
Cetti's Warbler
Maltese name/s
Scientific binomen
Order
Family
Sighting occurrence
Info*
Usually seen individually. It is heard more than seen as it is a very shy bird and loves to hide in dense vegetation.
Small, warm buff warbler with skulking behaviour, but conspicuous song. Similar in size to Reed Warbler, but with short, rounded wings and rounded tail. Build fairly compact, but bill thin and slender. Supercilium thin and dull. Cheeks and underparts greyish white, lacking the purer white belly of confusion species. Pale eye-ring. Under tail-coverts usually brown with pale fringes. Often flicks tail or holds it raised. Usually hides among undergrowth, and shows itself only when moving from one shrub to another.
Diet
Insects and larvae.
Longevity record
7 years 6 months (UK, KV 98586)
Bagħal tal-Għollieq
Cettia cetti
Passeriformes
Cettiidae
Common
Usually seen in
All year round for resident breeding birds.
Occasionally seen in
-
Click on the image to open slideshow
Length (cm):
Weight (g):
13 - 14
9 - 17
Zitting Cisticola
Maltese name/s
Scientific binomen
Order
Family
Sighting occurrence
Info*
Usually seen individually or in pairs. However a number of individuals can be seen in the same area.
Formerly known as the 'Fan-tailed Warbler'. Small, short winged warbler. Tail fan-shaped with black and white tips. Heavily streaked back, buff underparts and pale throat and vent. Pale area around eye. Flight diagnostic, with whirring wings and short, slightly spread, fan-like tail. Song flight even more distinct, with long undulations synchronised with voice.
Diet
It forages among grasses and gleans preys from bases of clumps of grasses. It occasionally hawks flying insects. It forages by walking and hopping on the ground. Its diet includes insects and small invertebrates such as grasshoppers, mantids, dragonflies, moths, caterpillars and insect larvae, mayflies and flies, spiders and snails. Some grass seeds are taken too.
Longevity record
-
Usually seen in
All year round for resident breeding birds.
Occasionally seen in
-
Click on the image to open slideshow
Length (cm):
Weight (g):
10 - 11
8 - 12
Savi's Warbler
Maltese name/s
Scientific binomen
Order
Family
Sighting occurrence
Info*
Usually seen individually.
Reedbed-living, dull coloured warbler with fan-shaped tail. Under tail coverts lacking pale fringes or markings. Vague and short supercilium. Differs from other locustella by unstreaked chest, back and under tail coverts. From Reed Warbler and Marsh Warbler by very long and buff under tail coverts, smaller head and pinkish legs.
Diet
They feed on insects such as flies, beetles, moths, grubs and damselflies.
Longevity record
9 years 9 months (Hungary, P 45251)
Usually seen in
April, October
Occasionally seen in
February - March, June, August - September
Click on the image to open slideshow
Length (cm):
Weight (g):
13.5 - 15
14 - 17
Yellow-browed Warbler
Maltese name/s
Scientific binomen
Order
Family
Sighting occurrence
Info*
Usually seen individually.
Small and secretive warbler, usually discovered by the contact call. Broad, yellow/whitish wing-bars framed in black, and dark tertials with pale fringes gives the species a contrasting plumage. Long and strong yellow supercilium (lacking the orange base of Pallas' Leaf Warbler). No central crown-stripe. Slightly smaller than a Chiffchaff, with smaller bill and shorter tail. Rump same colour as back (as opposed to Pallas'), and overall greener and more strikingly coloured than Hume's Leaf Warbler (but beware individual variation).
Diet
They feed on insects such as flies, beetles, moths, grubs and damselflies.
Longevity record
-
Vjolin tal-Faxx
Phylloscopus inornatus
Passeriformes
Phylloscopidae
Very scarce
Usually seen in
April, October - November
Occasionally seen in
February - March, May, September, December
Click on the image to open slideshow
Length (cm):
Weight (g):
9 - 10.5
5 - 8
Eastern Bonelli's Warbler
Maltese name/s
Scientific binomen
Order
Family
Sighting occurrence
Info*
Usually seen individually.
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 sexes are identical, as with most warblers.
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, and also some similarity to Wood Warbler. The call of the Eastern Bonelli's warbler is a hard chup, and completely different from the disyllabic hu-it of Western Bonelli's
The genus name Phylloscopus is from Ancient Greek phullon, "leaf", and skopos, "seeker" (from skopeo, "to watch"). The specific orientalis is Latin for "eastern".
Diet
Like most warblers, the Eastern Bonelli's is insectivorous.
Longevity record
-
Usually seen in
March - May
Occasionally seen in
-
Click on the image to open slideshow
Length (cm):
Weight (g):
9 - 10.5
7 - 9
Western Bonelli's Warbler
Maltese name/s
Scientific binomen
Order
Family
Sighting occurrence
Info*
Usually seen individually.
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 sexes are identical, as with most warblers.
The Western Bonelli's warbler has a browner tinge to the upperparts than Eastern Bonelli's warbler; the latter sometimes has a greenish tinge instead.
The song is a fast monotone trill, only slightly different from Eastern Bonelli's, and also some similarity to Wood Warbler. The call of the Western Bonelli's warbler is a disyllabic hu-it, differing from that of Eastern which is a completely different hard chup.
Diet
Like most warblers, the Western Bonelli's is insectivorous.
Longevity record
-
Usually seen in
March - May
Occasionally seen in
August - October
Click on the image to open slideshow
Length (cm):
Weight (g):
9 - 10.5
7 - 9
Wood Warbler
Maltese name/s
Scientific binomen
Order
Family
Sighting occurrence
Info*
Usually seen individually but multiple numbers can be within the same area.
Most distinct species of the genus. Most similar to Willow Warbler, but with much more contrasting plumage. Upperparts pure green. Throat and upper chest yellow, contrasting with pure white underparts. Distinct and strong yellow supercilium and black eye-stripe. Long primary projection, with primaries reaching middle of relatively short tail. Tertials with pale green fringes. Legs pale yellowish brown. Posture often horizontal with drooping wings.
Diet
Wood Warblers' diet seems to be quite diverse. Caterpillars (17–81%) appear to be a predominant prey, but also spiders (5–21%) and various winged insects.
Longevity record
10 years 3 months (Germany, AL 5318)
Vjolin Ħadrani / Tal-Maltemp
Phylloscopus sibilatrix
Passeriformes
Phylloscopidae
Fairly common
Usually seen in
April - May
Occasionally seen in
March, June, August - November
Click on the image to open slideshow
Length (cm):
Weight (g):
11 - 12.5
8 - 12
Common Chifchaff
Maltese name/s
Scientific binomen
Order
Family
Sighting occurrence
Info*
Usually seen individually but multiple numbers can be within the same area.
Olive green upperparts, yellowish chest with gradual transition to off-white belly. Very similar to Willow Warbler, and most field characters are subtle and often hard to see. Distinguished by (usually) black, or dark-brown legs, only faint dark framing to ear-coverts, less marked supercilium. Shorter primary projection (1/2 to 2/3'rds the lenght of tertials), with regularly spaced tips (visible when wing folded). Wings more fan-shaped and less pointed than in Willow Warbler. Juveniles much less yellow below than in W.Warbler. Generally leaves a duller and greyer impression than W. Warbler, but plumage very variable. Frequently flicks tail, even sideways. Generally also more active when moving among the foliage.
Diet
The chiffchaff feeds on insects and invertebrates. Flies, gnats, midges and caterpillars form a large part of its diet. Seeds and berries may be taken in winter.
Longevity record
8 years (Hungary, T 109177)
Vjolin tax-Xitwa
Phylloscopus collybita
Passeriformes
Phylloscopidae
Fairly common
Usually seen in
October - April
Occasionally seen in
June - July
Click on the image to open slideshow
Length (cm):
Weight (g):
10 - 12
6 - 9
Siberian Chifchaff
Maltese name/s
Scientific binomen
Order
Family
Sighting occurrence
Info*
Usually seen individually.
It has been split as a different species from the Common Chiffchaff very recently and it is difficult to identify with precision. The key features for the Siberian Chiffchaff are,
(1) absence of olive in the crown and mantle
(2) presence of a grey-brown or pale brown hue in the upperparts
(3) absence of yellow away from the underwing
(4) presence of warm buff in the supercilium and tobacco ear-coverts
(5) supercilium standing out more than the white eye ring
(6) presence of whitish buff/ lack of yellow hints at the breast-sides/flanks
(7) very black-looking bill and legs
(8) a thin, piping monosyllabic Dunnock-like call
(9) a song markedly different from Common Chiffchaff’s
Diet
The chiffchaff feeds on insects and invertebrates. Flies, gnats, midges and caterpillars form a large part of its diet. Seeds and berries may be taken in winter.
Longevity record
8 years (Hungary, T 109177)
Usually seen in
-
Occasionally seen in
October - July
Click on the image to open slideshow
Length (cm):
Weight (g):
11 - 12
6 - 11
Willow Warbler
Maltese name/s
Scientific binomen
Order
Family
Sighting occurrence
Info*
Usually seen individually but multiple numbers can be within the same area.
Olive green upperparts, yellowish chest with gradual transition to off-white belly. Very similar to Chiff-chaff, and most field characters are subtle and often hard to see. Distinguished by (usually) pale, yellow-brown legs, dark framing to ear-coverts, stronger supercilium. Long primary projection (often 3/4ths the length of tertials) with irregularly spaced tips (visible when wing folded). Wings slightly more pointed than in Chiff-chaff, and not so fan-shaped. Juveniles often with whole underparts yellow. Frequently flicks tail, but not sideways (unlike Chiff-chaff). Generally also more calm when moving among the foliage.
Diet
Willow warblers are active during the day, feeding on a variety of small insects and spiders, as well as fruits and berries in the autumn.
Longevity record
10 years 10 months (UK, 9J 1321)
Vjolin Pastard
Phylloscopus trochilus
Passeriformes
Phylloscopidae
Fairly common
Usually seen in
March - May, August - October
Occasionally seen in
June, November
Click on the image to open slideshow
Length (cm):
Weight (g):
11 - 12.5
7 - 12
Eurasian Blackcap
Maltese name/s
Scientific binomen
Order
Family
Sighting occurrence
Info*
Usually seen individually but can be seen in pairs.
Large and robust warbler with plain plumage, except for the characteristic cap (black in males, rufous in females and juveniles). Upperparts greyish brown and underparts pale grey. Vent white. No white in tail, as opposed to all other black-capped Sylvias in the region. Easily confused with Garden Warbler if the cap is not seen.
Diet
Blackcaps will pick insects, caterpillars and spiders from among the shrubs. In winter they will eat fruit such as berries.
Longevity record
13 years 10 months (Czech Republic, T 274613)
Kapinera
Sylvia atricapilla
Passeriformes
Sylviidae
Fairly common
Usually seen in
September - March
Occasionally seen in
April - May, July
Click on the image to open slideshow
Length (cm):
Weight (g):
13.5 - 15
15 - 24
Garden Warbler
Maltese name/s
Scientific binomen
Order
Family
Sighting occurrence
Info*
Usually seen individually but can be seen in small groups.
An almost featureless, large warbler with greyish brown upperparts and buff underparts. Lack of distinct characters is a character! Most distinct character is probably the faint, slate grey half-collar. Vent has no markings, eye is dark and bill is relatively short. Body quite plump, and facial expression gentle and mild. Usually stays hidden in foliage. Lacks nervous behaviour of other Sylvia, and does not normally flick its tail and wings.
Diet
The garden warbler feeds mainly on insects in the breeding season, although other small invertebrates such as spiders are also eaten. It picks its prey off leaves and twigs, sometimes hovering to do so. It is also found in fig and loquat trees picking on fruit.
Longevity record
14 years 2 months (Shot in Germany, 393985)
Bekkafik
Sylvia borin
Passeriformes
Sylviidae
Fairly common