Sylvia melanocephala - Sardinian Warbler
Feather characters. Barbules are short (0.50-0.57 mm) and divided into pigmented nodes and unpigmented internodes. Occasionally some pigment may also be found in parts of distal internodes. Bell-shaped nodes are equally distributed along the entire length of barbules (44-48 per mm). They all are about the same size, slightly decreasing towards distal end. Villi are rounded and internodes are straight. Prongs are absent, although in some cases minute prongs may be found on distal end. Barbules have this typical structure for Passeriformes; pigmented, bell-shaped nodes combined with rounded villi.
Field characters. Size 13 cm. Weight 11.3 g (9.4-14.0) (Dunning, 1993). Male with black head, extending down onto ear-coverts. Upperparts dark grey, wings with narrow lighter edges on flight feathers; underparts lighter grey, throat white, contrasting with black head. Tail black, outer feathers with white tips. Head of female grey, not black, and upperparts slightly browner. Both sexes have broad red eye-ring and red iris. Legs reddish. Restless, often seen sitting on top of a bush, cocking and waving tail and flicking wings. Flight fluttery and bobbing. Song given from perch, followed by song flight.
Voice. Call 'tec' and characteristic fast and scolding 'trètrètrètrè'. Song warbling, resembling Whitethroat (Sylvia communis, not included in BRIS), but harsher and longer.
Distribution. Very common. Resident, unlike most other Sylvia -warblers, but some southward movement occurs in winter. Map: see MapIt.
Habitat. Maquis, scrub and open forest with dense undergrowth.
Food. Invertebrates and berries.