Sykes's warbler


Sykes's warbler is an Old World warbler in the tree warbler family. It was formerly considered a subspecies of the booted warbler, but is now considered a full species. Its breeding range is from northeast Arabia to Turkestan, West China and Afghanistan. Like the booted warbler, many populations of the species migrate in winter to the Indian subcontinent as far south as Sri Lanka.

Etymology

The English name commemorates the Colonel William Henry Sykes who served in the British military in India. Keyserling and Blasius gave no explanation of the genus name Iduna, though in Norse mythology Iðunn, or Iduna, is the goddess of spring and fertility who was changed into a sparrow to enable her rescue by Loki. The specific epithet rama refers to the Hindu god Rama, an incarnation of Vishnu.

Taxonomy

There are differences in the nesting and egg morphology between rama and caligata. It has been suggested that the rama group can be separated from Hippolais and the older genus name of Iduna was proposed and molecular data supporting the Iduna clade was found in 2009.

Habitat

It is a small passerine found in open country with bushes and other tall vegetation. 3-4 eggs are laid in a nest in a bush or vegetation. Like most warblers they are insectivorous.

Description

It is a small warbler, especially compared to others in their genus. They are pale brown above and whitish below with buff flanks. The outer tail feathers have pale edges. They have a short pale supercilium, and the bill is strong and pointed. Sykes's is larger and greyer than booted, and most resembles an eastern olivaceous warbler.