Old World Warblers

Warblers

The "Old World Warblers", family Sylviidae are a family of small passerine bird species; the names sylviid warblers or true warblers may be more appropriate. The Sylviidae mainly occur as breeding species, as the name implies, in Europe, Asia and, to a lesser extent Africa. However, most birds of temperate regions are strongly migratory, and winter in the latter continent or tropical Asia. Most are of generally undistinguished appearance, though some Asian species are boldly marked. The sexes are often identical, but may be well distinct e.g. in Sylvia. Many are accomplished songbirds, though perhaps not as much as other warblers or some thrushes.

The American wood warblers (Parulidae), the Olive Warbler (Peucedramidae) and the stenostirid warblers or "flycatcher tits" (Stenostiridae) are not closely related to the sylviids. The Australian warblers (Acanthizidae), apart from also being Passeri, are entirely unrelated.

Systematics

In the late 20th century, the Sylviidae were thought to unite nearly 300 small insectivorous bird species in nearly 50 genera. They had themselves being split out of the Muscicapidae. The latter family had for most of its existence served as perhaps the ultimate wastebin taxon on the history of ornithology. By the early 20th century, about every insectivorous Old World "songster" known to science had at one point been placed therein, and most continued to do so.

Only after the mid-20th century did the dismantling of the "pan-Muscicapidae" begin in earnest. However, the Sylvidae remained a huge family, with few clear patterns of relationships recognisable. Though by no means as diverse as the Timaliidae (Old World babblers) (another "wastebin taxon" containing more thrush-like forms), the frontiers between the former "pan-Muscicapidae" were much blurred. The largely southern warbler family Cisticolidae was traditionally included in the Sylviidae. The kinglets, a small genus in a monotypic (one single species) family Regulidae, were also frequently placed in this family. The American Ornithologists' Union includes the gnatcatchers, as subfamily Polioptilinae, in the Sylviidae.

Sibley & Ahlquist (1990) united the "Old World warblers" with the babblers and other taxa in a superfamily Sylvioidea as a result of DNA-DNA hybridisation studies. This demonstrated that the Muscicapidae as initially defined were a form taxon which collected entirely unrelated songbirds. Consequently, the monophyly of the individual "songster" lineages themselves was increasingly being questioned.

More recently, analysis of DNA sequence data has provided information on the Sylvioidea. Usually, the scope of the clade was vastly underestimated and only one or two specimens were sampled for each presumed "family". Minor or little-known groups such as the parrotbills were left out entirely (e.g. Ericson & Johansson 2003, Barker et al. 2004). These could only confirm that the Cisticolidae were indeed distinct, and suggested that bulbuls (Pycnonotidae) were apparently the closest relatives of a group containing Sylviidae, Timaliidae, cisticolids and white-eyes.

In 2003, a study of Timaliidae relationships (Cibois 2003a) using mtDNA cytochrome b and 12S/16S rRNA data indicated that the Sylviidae and Old World babblers were not reciprocally monophyletic to each other. Moreover, Sylvia, the type genus of the Sylvidae, turned out to be closer to taxa such as the Yellow-eyed Babbler (Chrysomma sinense) (traditionally held to be an atypical timaliid) and the Wrentit (Chamaea fasciata), an enigmatic species generally held to be the only American Old World babbler. The parrotbills, formerly considered a family Paradoxornithidae (roughly, "puzzling birds") of unclear affiliations also were part of what apparently was a well distinctive clade.

Cibois suggested that the Sylviidae should officially be suppressed by the ICZN as a taxon and the genus Sylvia merged into the Timaliidae (Cibois 2003b), but doubts remained. Clearly, the sheer extent of the groups concerned made it necessary to study a wide range of taxa. This was begun by Beresford et al. (2005) and Alström et al. (2006). They determined that the late-20th-century Sylviidae united at least 4, but probably as much as major 7 distinct lineages. The authors propose the creation of several new families (Phylloscopidae, Cettiidae, Acrocephalidae, to better reflect the evolutionary history of the sylvioid group.

The Sylviidae, in turn, receive several taxa from other families. Nonetheless, the now-monophyletic family has shrunk by nearly 80% for the time being, now containing 55 species in 10 genera at least. It is entirely likely however that with further research, other taxa from those still incertae sedis among its former contents, the Timaliidae, the Cisticolinae, or even the Muscicapidae will be moved into this group.

Sylviidae

True warblers (or sylviid warblers) and parrotbills. A fairly diverse group of smallish taxa with longish tails. Mostly in Asia, to a lesser extent in Africa. A few range into Europe; one monotypic (one single species) genus on west coast of North America.

• Genus Sylvia - typical warblers (c.20 species). Paraphyletic* or contains Parisoma (*Paraphyletic = some, but not all, of the descendants from a common ancestor)

Temperate Eurasian superspecies ("atricapilla-borin group")

• Blackcap, Sylvia atricapilla
• Garden Warbler, Sylvia borin

Parisoma superspecies

• Banded Warbler, Parisoma boehmi : Found in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, and Tanzania. Its natural habitat is dry savanna.



• Layard's Warbler, Parisoma layardi : Found in Lesotho, Namibia, and South Africa. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland



• Rufous-vented Warbler, (also known as the Chestnut-vented Warbler or Chestnut-vented Tit-Babbler), Parisoma subcaeruleum : The Rufous-vented Warbler is often placed in the genus Sylvia as Sylvia subcaeruleum. The Rufous-vented Warbler breeds in southern Africa in Angola, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, South Africa, Lesotho, Mozambique and Swaziland. This is a common species found in a range of habitats fynbos, scrub, thickets and dry riverbeds. The Rufous-vented Warbler is 14-15 cm long and weighs around 16 g. Its upperparts are grey-brown, and the tail is black with a broad white band at its tip. This warbler has a white eye ring. The throat is grey with heavy dark streaking, the breast and belly are grey, and the vent area is bright chestnut. The legs are black and the eyes are grey. The sexes are similar, but the juvenile has has an unstreaked throat. The call is a loud fluted cheerup-chee-chee. Layard’s Tit-Babbler, Parisoma layardi, is the only similar species, but is paler, has more white in the tail, and lacks the chestnut vent. The Rufous-vented Warbler builds a cup nest flow in vegetation. This species is monogamous, pairing for life. It is usually seen alone or in pairs, moving through vegetation as it forages for insects and other small invertebrates. This common species has a large range, with an estimated extent of 2,800,000 km². The population size is believed to be large, and 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.

curruca clade

• Brown Warbler, Parisoma lugens : Found in Africa.



• Yemen Warbler, Sylvia buryi - sometimes placed in Parisoma : Found in Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests. It is threatened by habitat



• Red Sea Warbler, Sylvia leucomelaena : Found in Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Israel, Jordan, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Its natural habitat is dry savanna.



• (Western) Orphean Warbler, Sylvia hortensis
  • Eastern Orphean Warbler, Sylvia (hortensis) crassirostris


• Lesser Whitethroat, Sylvia curruca



• Hume's Whitethroat, Sylvia althaea



• Small Whitethroat, Sylvia minula : The Small Whitethroat is a typical warbler. Until recently, it was considered conspecific (of, or belonging to, the same species) with the Lesser Whitethroat; today these are seen as members of a superspecies. The present species together with Hume's Whitethroat seems to form an Asian lineage in the superspecies.(Helbig 2001, Jønsson & Fjeldså 2006). This is the aridland representative of the superspecies, occurring from dry lowlands of Xinjiang westwards to Turkmenistan and possibly into Iran. Following Gloger's Rule, it is paler and more sandy in coloration and lacks the well-marked dark head sides of the Lesser Whitethroat, though the white throat is still distinctive. It is also smaller (see Bergmann's Rule) and has a conspicuously smaller bill, adapted to the different food available in its habitat.

  Three subspecies are usually recognized:

  • Sylvia minula munila - includes chuancheica
  • Sylvia minula margelanica
  • Sylvia minula jaxartica

  The latter two might constitute a separate species, Margelanic Whitethroat.

  In addition, the presumed Lesser Whitethroat subspecies halimodendri and telengitica might actually belong to the Small Whitethroat, or alternatively might represent hybrid intergrades between, respectively, S. m. jaxartica and S. m. margelanica and the Lesser Whitethroat (Snow et al. 1998).

communis-melanocephala assemblage

• Barred Warbler, Sylvia nisoria - tentatively place here



• Desert Warblers are typical warblers which consist of two distinctive forms. These were previously treated as subspecies, but are now given specific status. They are still each other's closest living relatives, and their relationships to other typical warblers are not clear. They may be somewhat close to the Whitethroat (which in turn is not close to the Lesser Whitethroat). Particularly, female Whitethroats look much like a richly-colored Asian Desert Warbler minus supercilium (line above eye). But it seems nonetheless that all these 3 taxa are fairly basal members of the genus.(Helbig 2001, Jønsson & Fjeldså 2006)
  • African Desert Warbler, Sylvia deserti is a resident breeder in northwest Africa at the fringe of the Sahara Desert. Basic color pale sand
  • Asian Desert Warbler, Sylvia nana breeds in south central temperate Asia. This form is migratory, wintering in north easternmost Africa, Arabia and India. It has occurred as a rare vagrant as far west as Great Britain. Basic color gray sand

  Sexes are almost identical in both. This is a small "warbler" with a sand-colored back and head, whitish underparts, and a yellow eye. Like its relatives, it is insectivorous, but will also take berries. The song is a distinctive jingle often given in an advertisement flight.

  This small passerine bird breeds in semi-desert and other arid environments, as long as some bushes for nesting occur. The nest is built in low shrub, and 4-6 eggs are laid.

• Whitethroat, Sylvia communis



• Spectacled Warbler, Sylvia conspicillata : The Spectacled Warbler breeds in north west Africa, southwest Europe from Iberia to Italy, and then further east on the eastern Mediterranean islands and coastal regions. It is mainly resident in Africa, but other populations migrate to winter in more widely in north and west Africa and Egypt. This bird is a rare vagrant to northern and western Europe. It also occurs in tome Atlantic islands. The subspecies orbitalis has been proposed for those of the Cape Verde Islands. The presumed subspecies for the Madeira birds, bella is today usually included in this taxon, as are the nirds of the Canary Islands, where the species is quite common except on El Hierro and known as zarzalero y ratonero (Álamo Tavio 1975). These are very small "warblers" and are intermediate between Whitethroats and Tristram's Warbler in coloration. Spectacled Warblers are brown above and buff below, with chestnut wing patches and a white throat. Adult males have a grey head and the white eye ring which gives the species its name. Immature birds can be confused with both the Whitethroat and the Subalpine Warbler, and identification is difficult in the field. The song is a fast high warble. About the precise relationships of this bird, not much can be said with certainty. It seems though as if its intermediate appearance, apart from the autapomorphic white eye ring, indicates its relationships reasonably well. It is not the closest living relative of at least Tristram's Warbler though.(Helbig 2001, Jønsson & Fjeldså 2006) These small passerine birds are found in dry open country with bushes. 3-6 eggs are laid in a nest in a bush. Like their relatives, the Spectacled Warbler is insectivorous.



• Tristram's Warbler, Sylvia deserticola : Found in Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia, and Western Sahara. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.



• Dartford Warbler, Sylvia undata : The Dartford Warbler, Sylvia undata, is an typical warbler which breeds in the warmer parts of south west Europe and northwest Africa. Its breeding range lies west of a line from southern England to the heel of Italy. It is a mainly resident breeder, but there is some limited migration. Like many typical warblers, this species has distinct male and female plumages. The male of this small Sylvia has a grey back and head, reddish underparts, and a red eye. The reddish throat is spotted with white. The female is paler below, especially on the throat, and a browner grey below. The song is a distinctive rattling warble. It probably forms a superspecies with Tristram's Warbler and this in turn seems close to Marmora's Warbler and the Balearic Warbler (Helbig 2001, Jønsson & Fjeldså 2006). Altogether, this group of typical warblers bears an uncanny resemblance to the Wrentit, the only species of Sylviidae from the Americas (compare Wrentit with Dartford Warbler photo linked below). Still, the Wrentit is less closely related to the genus Sylvia than to the parrotbills (Cibois 2003, Pasquet 2006). Its visual similarity to the Dartford Warbler group is an astounding example of convergent evolution between birds closely related enough to already share many similarities evolving half a world apart in similar Mediterranean shrub habitat. This small, 13 cm, passerine bird breeds in heathlands often near coasts, with gorse bushes for nesting. Like its relatives, the Dartford Warbler is insectivorous, but will also take berries. The nest is built in low shrub, and 3-6 eggs are laid. Dartford Warblers were named for Dartford Heath in NW Kent, where the population became extinct in the early 20th century. They almost died out in the UK in the severe winter of 1962-3 when the national population dropped to just 10 pairs. They recovered in some areas but numbers are once again on the decline. However this species can recover well because of repeated nesting and a high survival rate for the young.



• Marmora's Warbler, Sylvia sarda : The Marmora's Warbler breeds on Mediterranean islands, typically including Corsica and Sardinia. The smaller Balearic Islands subspecies is increasingly given specific status as Balearic Warbler, Sylvia balearica. These two seem to form a superspecies which in turn groups with Tristram's Warbler and the Dartford Warbler (Helbig 2001, Jønsson & Fjeldså 2006). They are generally resident but some birds migrate south to winter in north Africa. They are rare vagrants to northern and western Europe. These are small, long tailed, large-headed birds, overall very similar to their close relatives in thr Dartford Warbler group. Marmora's Warblers are grey above and below, lacking the brick-red underparts of the Dartford Warbler. Adult males have darker patches on the forehead and between the eye and the pointed bill. The legs and iris are red. The song is a fast rattle. Immature birds can be confused with young Dartford Warblers, which are also grey below, but Marmora's have a paler throat. Their iris is dark. The Balearic Warbler is 20% smaller than the nominate form. It is also paler below, with a pinkish tinge. These small passerine birds are found in open country with thorny bushes and heather. 3-5 eggs are laid in a nest in a bush. Like most "warblers", they are insectivorous. This bird is named after the Italian naturalist Alberto della Marmora.
  • Balearic Warbler, Sylvia (sarda) balearica


• Rüppell's Warbler, Sylvia rueppelli : The Rüppell's Warbler Sylvia rueppelli, is a typical warbler of the genus Sylvia. It breeds in Greece, Turkey and neighbouring islands. It is migratory, wintering in north east Africa. This is a rare vagrant to western Europe. The name is occasionally cited as "Rueppell's Warbler". These are small typical warblers, similar in size but slimmer than the Sardinian Warbler. The adults have a plain grey back and paler grey underparts. The bill is fine and pointed and the legs brown. The male has a black head and, usually, a black throat, separated by a white malar (cheek) streak ("moustache"). The eye is red. Females have a pale throat, and the head is grey rather than black. Their grey back has a brownish tinge. The song is a slower, deeper rattle than that of Sardinian Warbler. Together with the Cyprus Warbler it forms a superspecies with dark throats, white malar (cheek) streaks and light remiges (flight feathers - typically only visible in flight) fringes. This in turn is related to the species of Mediterranean and Middle East Sylvia warblers that have a naked eye-ring, namely the Subalpine Warbler, Sardinian Warbler and Ménétries's Warbler. Both groups have a white malar (cheek) area, but this may not form a clear streak in the latter group; above the white, the heads of males are uniformly dark.(Helbig 2001, Jønsson & Fjeldså 2006) These small passerine birds are found in thick thorny shrubs. Four to six eggs are laid in a nest in a bush. Like most warblers, this species is insectivorous. It is named after the German collector Eduard Rüppell.



• Cyprus Warbler, Sylvia melanothorax : The Cyprus Warbler, Sylvia melanothorax, is a typical warbler which breeds on Cyprus. This small passerine bird is a short-distance migrant, and winters in Israel, Jordan and Egypt. Like most Sylvia species, it has distinct male and female plumages. The adult male is a small typical warbler with a grey back, black head, white malar streaks ("moustaches"), and, uniquely among typical warblers, underparts heavily streaked with black. The female is mainly grey above, with a greyer head, and whitish with only light spotting. The Cyprus Warbler's song is fast and rattling, and is similar to that of the Sardinian Warbler. Together with Rüppell's Warbler it forms a superspecies with dark throats, white malar (cheek) streaks and light remiges (flight feathers - typically only visible in flight) fringes. This in turn is related to the species of Mediterranean and Middle East Sylvia warblers that have a naked eye-ring, namely the Subalpine Warbler, Sardinian Warbler and Menetries' Warbler. Both groups have a white malar area, but this may not form a clear streak in the latter group; above the white, the heads of males are uniformly dark.(Helbig 2001, Jønsson & Fjeldså 2006) This is a bird of dry open country, often on hill slopes, with bushes for nesting. The nest is built in low shrub or gorse, and 3-5 eggs are laid. Like most "warblers", it is insectivorous, but will also take berries.



• (Western) Subalpine Warbler, Sylvia cantillans
  • Eastern Subalpine Warbler, Sylvia (cantillans) albistriata
  • Moltoni's Warbler, Sylvia (cantillans) moltonii


• Sardinian Warbler, Sylvia melanocephala
  • Sylvia (melanocephala) momus
  • Fayyum Warbler, Sylvia melanocephala/momus norissae - doubtfully distinct, extinct (c.1940)


• Menetries' Warbler, Sylvia mystacea

• Genus Parisoma - paraphyletic* with Sylvia? (*Paraphyletic = some, but not all, of the descendants from a common ancestor)

• Genus Pseudoalcippe - formerly in Illadopsis (Timaliidae)
  • African Hillbabbler Pseudoalcippe abyssinica : The African Hill Babbler is monotypic within the genus Pseudoalcippe. It is found in Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist montanes, and subtropical or tropical moist shrubland. The distinctive black-headed subspecies is sometimes split as the Ruwenzori Hill Babbler, Pseudoalcippe atriceps, but Fry et al. (2000) state it has the same vocalizations and behaviour as other races, and do not give separate species status.

• Genus Rhopophilus - formerly in Cisticolidae
  • White-browed Chinese Warbler Rhopophilus pekinensis : Found in China, North Korea, and South Korea.

• Genus Lioparus - formerly in Alcippe (Timaliidae)
  • Golden-breasted Fulvetta Lioparus chrysotis : Found in Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are temperate forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.

• Genus Paradoxornis - parrotbills (18 species). Formerly in Paradoxornithidae; polyphyletic (derived from more than one ancestral type)

• Genus Conostoma - formerly in Paradoxornithidae; tentatively placed here
  • Great Parrotbill Conostoma oemodium : Found in Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal.

• Genus Fulvetta - typical fulvettas. Formerly in Alcippe (Timaliidae)
  • Spectacled Fulvetta Fulvetta ruficapilla : Found in China, Laos, and possibly Vietnam. Its natural habitat is temperate forests.
  
  
  
  • Chinese Fulvetta Fulvetta striaticollis : Found in China and India.
  
  
  
  • White-browed Fulvetta Fulvetta vinipectus : Found in Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Vietnam. Its natural habitat is temperate forests.
  
  
  
  • Streak-throated Fulvetta Fulvetta cinereiceps (possibly polyphyletic = derived from more than one ancestral type) : Found in Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Its natural habitat is temperate forests.
  
  
  
  • Ludlow's Fulvetta Fulvetta ludlowi - tentatively placed here: Found in Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal.

• Genus Chrysomma - formerly in Timaliidae
  • Yellow-eyed Babbler Chrysomma sinense
  
  
  
  • Jerdon's Babbler Chrysomma altirostre: Jerdon's Babbler is a passerine bird from South Asia. Formerly placed in the Timaliidae family - hence the common name "babbler" -, the genus Chrysomma and its relatives are actually closer to the typical warblers and parrotbills in the Sylviidae (Jønsson & Fjeldså 2006). It is classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN. The nominate subspecies from Myanmar, the Myanmar Jerdon's Babbler ( Chrysomma altirostre altirostre) seems already to be extinct. It occurred in tall-grass habitat in the floodplains of the Ayeyarwady River from Bhamo to Bago and up the Sittang River nearly to Taungoo. It was last seen in July 1941 in habitat fragments at Myitkyo, wtith the last specimen taken in 1914 or perhaps as late as the mid-1930s. Due to the inaccessibility of its range and consequent lack of fieldwork, it might conceivably still exist.(Collar et al. 2001, BLI 2006) Of the Sind Jerdon's Babbler (C. a. scindicum) from the Indus basin and the Terai Jerdon's Babbler (C. a. griseigularis) of the sub-Himalayan plains, together less than 10000 mature birds are believed to remain. Its threat category VU A2c+3c (BLI 2004). This means that its population has declined by an estimated 30% and is expected to continue to do so for another decade at least. The reasons are not fully understood, but the population reduction is probably related to habitat destruction for agriculture and flood control.
    • Myanmar Jerdon's Babbler Chrysomma altirostre altirostre - extinct (1940s)
  
  
  • Rufous-tailed Babbler Chrysomma poecilotis : It is monotypic (one single species) within the genus Chrysomma. It is endemic to China.

• Genus Chamaea - Wrentit

To Timaliidae

• Genus Graminicola
  • Rufous-rumped Grassbird ("-babbler") Graminicola bengalensis: The Rufous-Rumped Grassbird is a species of babbler in the Timaliidae family formerly placed in the Old World Warbler family Sylviidae. It is found in Bangladesh, China, Hong Kong, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. It is threatened by habitat loss.

To Cisticolidae

• Genus Bathmocercus - rufous-warblers
  • Black-capped Rufous-warbler Bathmocercus cerviniventris: Found in Ivory Coast, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical swamps, and subtropical or tropical moist montanes. It is threatened by habitat loss.
  • Black-faced Rufous-warbler Bathmocercus rufus: Found in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes


• Genus Sceptomycter - sometimes merged into Bathmocercus. Cisticolidae?
  • Mrs Moreau's Warbler Sceptomycter winifredae: Found only in Tanzania. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.


• Genus Poliolais - Cisticolidae or more basal like bulbuls?
  • White-tailed Warbler Poliolais lopezi : The White-tailed Warbler is found in Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Nigeria. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes. It is threatened by habitat loss.

• Two to 14 of the 15 tailorbirds

New family Acrocephalidae

Marsh- and tree warblers or acrocephalid warblers. Usually rather large "warblers", most are olivaceous brown above with much yellow to beige below. Usually in open woodland, reedbeds or tall grass. Mainly southern Asia to western Europe and surroundings ranging far into Pacific, some in Africa. The genus limits are seriously in need of revision; either most species are moved into Acrocephalus, or the latter is split up though there is presently insufficient knowledge as to how.

• Genus Acrocephalus - marsh-warblers (about 35 species)

• Genus Hippolais - tree warblers (8 species)

• Genus Chloropeta - yellow warblers
  • Yellow Flycatcher-warbler Chloropeta natalensis : The Yellow Flycatcher-warbler is found in Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.
  • Mountain Flycatcher-warbler Chloropeta similis : The Mountain Flycatcher-warbler is found in Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montanes and subtropical or tropical moist shrubland.
  • Papyrus Flycatcher-warbler Chloropeta gracilirostris : The Papyrus Yellow Warbler is found in Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. Its natural habitat is swamps. It is threatened by habitat loss.

To Malagasy warblers

See Cibois et al. (2001)

• Genus Thamnornis
  • Thamnornis Thamnornis chloropetoides : The Thamnornis Warbler is a species of Old World warbler in the Sylviidae family. It is found only in Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.

• Genus Cryptosylvicola
  • Cryptic Warbler Cryptosylvicola randriansoloi : The Cryptic Warbler is a species of Old World warbler in the Sylviidae family. It is found only in Madagascar.

New family Megaluridae

Grass warblers and allies or megalurid warblers. Mid-sized and usually long-tailed species; sometimes strongly patterned but generally very drab in overall coloration. Often forage on the ground. Old World and into Australian region, centred around Indian Ocean; possibly also one species in South America. A not too robustly supported clade that requires further study.

• Genus Bradypterus - Megalurid bush-warblers (more than 20 species). Paraphyletic with at least one species ("B." victorini) not belonging into this family.

• Genus Locustella - grass warblers (9 species)

• Genus Megalurus - typical grassbirds. Probably polyphyletic (derived from more than one ancestral type)
  • Marsh Grassbird Megalurus pryeri : The Marsh Grassbird is found in China, Japan, South Korea, Mongolia, and Russia. Its natural habitat is swamps. It is threatened by habitat loss.
  • Tawny Grassbird Megalurus timoriensis : The Tawny Grassbird is found in Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Philippines.
  • Little Grassbird Megalurus gramineus : The Little Grassbird is found in Australia and in the Indonesian half of New Guinea.
  • Striated Grassbird Megalurus palustris
  • Fly River Grassbird Megalurus albolimbatus : The Fly River Grassbird is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Its natural habitats are freshwater lakes and freshwater marshes. It is threatened by habitat loss.

The Black-capped Donacobius Donacobius atricapillus which was long considered an aberrant wren might constitute the only American species of this family.

New family Cettiidae

Typical bush warblers and relatives or cettiid warblers. Another group of generally very drab species, tend to be smaller and shorter-tailed than Megaluridae. Usually frequent shrubland and undergrowth. Continental Asia, and surrounding regions, ranging into Africa and southern Europe.

• Genus Pholidornis - formerly in Remizidae; tentatively placed here
  • Tit-hylia Pholidornis rushiae : The Tit-hylia is monotypic (one single species) within the genus Pholidornis. It is found in Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Uganda. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.

• Genus Hylia - tentatively placed here [2]
  • Green Hylia Hylia prasina : The Green Hylia is found in Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical swamps, subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, and moist savanna.

• Genus Abroscopus - Abroscopus warblers
  • Rufous-faced Warbler Abroscopus albogularis: The Rufous-faced Warbler (Abroscopus albogularis) is found in Bangladesh, Bermuda, Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.
  • Yellow-bellied Warbler Abroscopus superciliaris : The Yellow-bellied Warbler is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.
  • Black-faced Warbler Abroscopus schisticeps : The Black-faced Warbler is found in Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.

• Genus Erythrocercus - monarch-warblers. Formerly Monarchinae.
  • Chestnut-capped Flycatcher Erythrocercus mccallii : The Chestnut-capped Flycatcher is found in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical swamps and subtropical or tropical moist montanes.
  • Yellow Flycatcher Erythrocercus holochlorus : The Yellow Flycatcher is found in Kenya, Somalia, and Tanzania. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist shrubland.
  • Livingstone's Flycatcher Erythrocercus livingstonei : The Livingstone's Flycatcher is found in Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist shrubland.


• Genus Urosphena - stubtails
  • Timor Stubtail Urosphena subulata : The Timor Stubtail is found in Indonesia and Timor-Leste.
    • Babar Stubtail Urosphena subulata advena - extinct (mid-20th century)
  • Bornean Stubtail Urosphena whiteheadi : The Bornean Stubtail is found in Indonesia and Malaysia.
  • Asian Stubtail Urosphena squameiceps : The Asian Stubtail is found in China, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, Russia, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitat is temperate forests.

• Genus Tesia - tesias
  • Chestnut-headed Tesia Tesia castaneocoronata : The Chestnut-Headed Tesia is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes.
  • Javan Tesia Tesia superciliaris : The Javan Tesia is found only in Indonesia.
  • Slaty-bellied Tesia Tesia olivea : The Slaty-Bellied Tesia is found in Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes.
  • Grey-bellied Tesia Tesia cyaniventer : The Grey-Bellied Tesia is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes.
  • Russet-capped Tesia Tesia everetti : The Russet-Capped Tesia is found only in Indonesia.

• Genus Cettia - typical bush-warblers (about 15 species). polyphyletic (derived from more than one ancestral type).

• Genus Tickellia
  • Broad-billed Warbler Tickellia hodgsoni : The Broad-billed Warbler is found in Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes.

• Genus Phyllergates
  • Mountain Tailorbird Phyllergates cucullatus : The Mountain Tailorbird is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes.
  • Rufous-headed Tailorbird Phyllergates heterolaemus : The Rufous-Headed Tailorbird is found only in the Philippines. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes.

Aegithalidae

• Genus Leptopoecile - tit-warblers. Tentatively placed there.
  • White-browed Tit-warbler Leptopoecile sophiae
  • Crested Tit-warbler Leptopoecile elegans : The Crested Tit-warbler is found in China and possibly India. Its natural habitat is boreal forests.

New family Phylloscopidae

Leaf-warblers or phylloscopid warblers. A group very variable in size, often vivid green coloration above and yellow below, or more subdued with greyish-green to greyish-brown plumage. Catch food on the wing fairly often. Eurasia, ranging into Wallacea and Africa.

• Genus Phylloscopus - leaf-warblers (c.55 species). Polyphyletic.

• Genus Seicercus - polyphyletic (derived from more than one ancestral type)
  • Golden-spectacled Warbler Seicercus burkii
    • Grey-crowned Warbler Seicercus (burkii) tephrocephalus
    • Whistler's Warbler Seicercus (burkii) whistleri
    • Bianchi's Warbler Seicercus (burkii) valentini
  • Emei Shan Warbler aka Marten's Warbler Seicercus omeiensis : The Martens's Warbler is found in China and Myanmar. Its natural habitats are temperate forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.
  • Plain-tailed Warbler Seicercus soror : The Plain-tailed Warbler is found only in China. Its natural habitat is temperate forests.
  • White-spectacled Warbler Seicercus affinis - paraphyletic* : The White-Spectacled Warbler is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. (*Paraphyletic = some, but not all, of the descendants from a common ancestor)
    • Bar-winged White-spectacled Warbler Seicercus (affinis) intermedius
  • Grey-cheeked Warbler Seicercus poliogenys : The Grey-Cheeked Warbler is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.
  • Grey-hooded Warbler Seicercus xanthoschistos : The Grey-Hooded Warbler is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan. Its natural habitat is temperate forests.
  • Chestnut-crowned Warbler Seicercus castaniceps : The Chestnut-Crowned Warbler s found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.
  • Yellow-breasted Warbler Seicercus montis : The Yellow-Breasted Warbler is found in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.
  • Sunda Warbler Seicercus grammiceps : The Sunda Warbler is found only in Indonesia.

African warblers

Also "Sphenoeacus group". An assemblage of usually species-poor and apparently rather ancient "odd warblers" from Africa. Ecomorphologically quite variable. Monophyly requires confirmation.

• Genus Sylvietta - crombecs
  • Green Crombec Sylvietta virens : The Green Crombec is found in Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist shrubland.
  • Lemon-bellied Crombec Sylvietta denti : The Lemon-bellied Crombec is found in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist shrubland.
  • White-browed Crombec Sylvietta leucophrys : The White-browed Crombec is a species of African warbler, formerly placed in the family Sylviidae. The enigmatic Chapin's Crombec might be a distinct species, or a subspecies Sylvietta leucophrys chapini of the present species. The White-browed Crombec is found in Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda.
    • Chapin's Crombec Sylvietta (leucophrys) chapini - possibly extinct (late 20th century?)
  • Northern Crombec Sylvietta brachyura : The Northern Crombec is found in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, and Uganda. Its natural habitat is dry savanna.
  • Short-billed Crombec Sylvietta philippae : The Short-billed Crombec is found in Ethiopia and Somalia. Its natural habitat is dry savanna.
  • Red-capped Crombec Sylvietta ruficapilla : The Red-capped Crombec is found in Angola, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and possibly Botswana. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, and subtropical or tropical moist shrubland.
  • Red-faced Crombec Sylvietta whytii : The Red-faced Crombec is found in Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist montanes, and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.
  • Somali Crombec Sylvietta isabellina : The Somali Crombec is found in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, and Tanzania. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.
  • Cape Crombec or Long-billed Crombec Sylvietta rufescens : The Cape Crombec is an Old World warbler. However, the taxonomy of the "African warblers", an assemblage of usually species-poor and apparently rather ancient "odd warblers" from Africa is currently in a state of flux. The Cape Crombec breeds in southern Africa from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia and Tanzania southwards to South Africa. This is a common species in fynbos, open woodland, savannah and dry Acacia scrub. The Cape Crombec is a small, nearly tailless bird 12 cm long and weighing around 16 g. Its upperparts are brownish grey-brown, and there is a pale grey supercilium (line above eye), separated from the whitish throat by a dark eye stripe. The whitish breast shades into the buff belly. The long slightly curved bill is blackish. The sexes are similar, and the juvenile resembles the adult. The call is a variable series of trilled notes including trreee-rriiit trreee-rriiit and a harsh pttt. The Cape Crombec's nest is a large, hanging bag of grasses, spider webs, and plant fibres, which is attached to the lower limbs of a tree, often an Acacia. The one to three white eggs are incubated for two weeks to hatching, and the chicks are fed by both parents for another two weeks to fledging. This territorial species is monogamous, pairing for life. This bird is usually seen alone, in pairs, or in family groups as it forages methodically from the bottom to the top of bushes and trees for insects and grass seeds. It will join mixed-species feeding flocks. It moves between trees with a bouncy flight. This common species has a large range, with an estimated extent of 4,500,000 km². The population size is believed to be large, and 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.

• Genus Melocichla
  • Moustached Grass-warbler Melocichla mentalis : The Moustached Grass-Warbler is found in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are moist savanna and subtropical or tropical moist shrubland.

• Genus Achaetops
  • Damara Rock-jumper Achaetops pycnopygius : The Damara Rock-jumper is a species of African Warbler, formerly placed in the Sylviidae family. It is found in Angola and Namibia.

• Genus Sphenoeacus
  • Cape Grassbird or Cape Grass WarblerSphenoeacus afer : The Cape Grassbird is the only member of the genus Sphenoeacus. The taxonomy of the "African warblers", an assemblage of usually species-poor and apparently rather ancient "odd warblers" from Africa is currently in a state of flux. The Cape Grassbird breeds in southern Africa in South Africa, Lesotho, Mozambique and Swaziland with an isolated population in eastern Zimbabwe. This is a common species of coastal and mountain fynbos and long, rank grass on mountain slopes or in river valleys. The Cape Grassbird is 17-19 cm long and weighs around 30 g. Its crown and face sides are rufous, except for white around the eye, and it has black malar (cheek) and moustachial stripes on its white throat. The upperparts are brown with heavy streaking and the long tail is a lighter brown. The underparts are whitish with blackish spotting. The sexes are similar, but the juvenile has a streaked cap and is duller than the adult. The song is jangling and musical, and the call is a nasal pheeeo. The long, pointed, straggly tail, chestnut cap and facial stripes are diagnostic of Cape Grassbird. It is much larger than any cisticola, and the heavily streaked back and the pointed tail eliminate confusion with Moustached Grass Warbler. The Cape Grassbird builds a cup nest flow in vegetation. This species is monogamous, pairing for life. Its eggs have one of the slowest rates of embryonic development amongst Southern African species. [1] The Cape Grassbird is usually seen alone or in pairs, moving through vegetation foraging for insects and other small invertebrates. This common species has a large range, with an estimated extent of 390,000 km². The population size is believed to be large, and 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.

• Genus N.N. - formerly Bradypterus (now Megaluridae)
  • Victorin's Scrub-warbler "Bradypterus" victorini : The Victorin's Scrub-warbler is not closely related to the genus Bradypterus at all, but a new genus has not been established for it yet. It is found only in South Africa; its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist shrubland.

• Genus Macrosphenus - longbills
  • Kemp's Longbill Macrosphenus kempi : The Kemp's Longbill is found in Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.
  • Yellow Longbill Macrosphenus flavicans : The Yellow Longbill is found in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Nigeria, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes.
  • Grey Longbill Macrosphenus concolor : The Grey Longbill is found in Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, and Uganda. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.
  • Pulitzer's Longbill Macrosphenus pulitzeri : The Pulitzer's Longbill was formerly considered an "Old World warbler" and placed in the family Sylviidae, it is now considered to belong to an as-yet unnamed group of enigmatic African warblers. It is found only in Angola. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.
  • Kretschmer's Longbill Macrosphenus kretschmeri : The Kretschmer's Longbill is found in Kenya, Mozambique, and Tanzania. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes.

Not in Sylvioidea

Entirely unrelated songbirds hitherto placed in Sylviidae

• Genus Stenostira - Together with some "odd flycatchers", they form the new family Stenostiridae. They are closely related to Paridae (Beresford et al. 2005)
  • Fairy Warbler or Fairy Flycatcher Stenostira scita : The Fairy Warbler was formerly placed in the Old World flycatcher family, Muscicapidae, it is now separated with some other "odd flycatchers" as the new family Stenostiridae (Beresford et al. 2005, Fuchs et al. 2006). It is the only member of the genus Stenostira. It is an endemic resident breeder in southern Africa in Botswana, South Africa, Lesotho and Namibia, and a vagrant to Zimbabwe and Swaziland. Stenostira scita is a common seasonal migrant, breeding in karoo scrub and fynbos in the southern highlands, and migrating north in to spend the southern winter in thorn scrub at lower altitudes. The Fairy Warbler is 11-12 cm in length. The adult is pale grey above with a black mask through the eye and a white supercilium (line above eye). The wings are black with a long white stripe, and the long black tail has white sides. The throat is white, the breast is pale grey, and the belly is white with a pinkish-grey wash to its centre. The sexes are alike, but the juvenile is browner than the adult. The eye is brown and the bill and legs are black. The Fairy Warbler is monogamous unless its mate dies, when it will seek a new partner. It builds an open cup nest from thin stems and other plant material and lined with plant down. It is placed in the branches of a tree or shrub. The female lays two or three green eggs. This bird is usually seen alone, in pairs, or small flocks. It feeds on small insects and other invertebrates, foraging in the foliage like a warbler.

• Genus Hyliota - hyliotas. Basal Passerida with no known relatives, perhaps somewhat closer to Promeropidae (sugarbirds)[3]
  • Yellow-bellied Hyliota Hyliota flavigaster : The Yellow-Bellied Hyliota is found in Angola, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests.
  • Southern Hyliota Hyliota australis : The Southern Hyliota s found in Angola, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and dry savanna.
  • Usambara Hyliota Hyliota usambarae : The Usambara Hyliota is found only in Tanzania. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical moist montanes, and plantations . It is threatened by habitat loss.
  • Violet-backed Hyliota Hyliota violacea : The Violet-Backed Hyliota is found in Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and Togo. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.

• Genus Newtonia - newtonias. Now in Vangidae (vangas); possibly polyphyletic (derived from more than one ancestral type) (Yamagishi et al. 2001)
  • Dark Newtonia Newtonia amphichroa : The Dark Newtonia s endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.
  • Common Newtonia Newtonia brunneicauda : The Common Newtonia is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.
  • Archbold's Newtonia Newtonia archboldi : The Archbold's Newtonia is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.
  • Red-tailed Newtonia Newtonia fanovanae - tentatively placed here : The Red-tailed Newtonia is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.

"Sylviidae" incertae sedis

Taxa that have not been studied. Most are likely to belong to one of Sylvioidea families listed above. Those in the Australian-Pacific region are probably Megaluridae. These taxa are listed in the sequence used in recent years.

• Genus Dromaeocercus - emu-tails. Megaluridae?
  • Brown Emu-tail Dromaeocercus brunneus : The Brown Emu-Tail is found only in Madagascar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes. It is threatened by habitat loss.
  • Grey Emu-tail Dromaeocercus seebohmi - sometimes separated in Amphilais : The Grey Emu-Tail is found only in Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist shrubland and shrub-dominated wetlands.

• Genus Nesillas - brush warblers. Malagasy warblers?
  • Aldabra Brush-warbler Nesillas aldabrana - extinct (c.1984) : The Aldabra Brush Warbler is an extinct bird from the family of Old World Warblers (Sylviidae). Its habitat was the Aldabra atoll in the Indian Ocean. This bird reached a length of 13 cm and the wings are 6.3 cm. The length of the tail was 8.6 cm. The Aldabra Brush Warbler was discovered by British ornithologist Robert Prys-Jones from the Museum of Natural History in London in 1967 and described in 1968 by Constantine Walter Benson and Malcolm Penny on basis of a male, a female and a nest with 3 eggs. Juveniles were never found. After the discovery the brush warbler left lost until a new survey was made by Prys-Jones from 1974 to 1976. At the end of 1975 he found six further birds which were all males. The birds were ringed and photographed. Unfortunately in 1983 only one male was left and the Aldrabra Brush Warbler became the rarest and in its occurrence most restricted bird in the world. It was endemic to a 10 ha large coastal strip on the Aldabran island of Malabar. Following intensive surveys, the extinction of this bird was confirmed in 1986. It is listed as officially extinct by the IUCN since 1994. The possible reasons for its extinction could be attributed to the presence of rats, cats and goats introduced to the atoll many years previously.
  • Anjouan Brush-warbler Nesillas longicaudata : The Anjouan Brush-Warbler is found in Comoros and Mayotte.
  • Madagascar Brush-warbler Nesillas typica : The Madagascar Brush-Warbler is found in Comoros and Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, and subtropical or tropical moist shrubland.
  • Grand Comoro Brush-warbler Nesillas brevicaudata : The Grand Comoro Brush-Warbler is found in Comoros and Mayotte. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes.
  • Moheli Brush-warbler Nesillas mariae : The Moheli Brush-Warbler is found only in Comoros. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes.

• Genus Phyllolais - Cisticolidae?
  • Buff-bellied Warbler Phyllolais pulchella : The Buff-bellied Warbler is found in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, dry savanna, and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.

• Genus Graueria
  • Grauer's Warbler Graueria vittata : Grauer's Warbler is found in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.

• Genus Eremomela - eremomelas. Cettiidae?
  • Salvadori's Eremomela Eremomela salvadorii : The Salvadori's Eremomela is found in Zaire, Gabon, Angola and Zambia. Its name commerorates Italian zoologist and ornithologist Tommaso Salvadori. It is often considered conspecific (of, or belonging to, the same species) with the Yellow-vented Eremomela, Eremomela flavicrissalis, of East Africa.
  • Yellow-vented Eremomela Eremomela flavicrissalis : The Yellow-Vented Eremomela is found in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania, and Uganda. Its natural habitat is dry savanna.
  • Yellow-bellied Eremomela Eremomela icteropygialis : The Yellow-bellied Eremomela is an Old World warbler. However, the taxonomy of the "African warblers", an assemblage of usually species-poor and apparently rather ancient "odd warblers" from Africa is currently in a state of flux. The Yellow-bellied Eremomela is a common breeding species in Africa south of the Sahara in its habitat of open woodland, savannah, and dry scrub. The Yellow-bellied Eremomela is a very small bird 10 cm long and weighing around 9 g. Its upperparts are grey, becoming darker and more olive on the wings and tail. There is a thin pale grey supercilium (line above eye) and a blackish stripe through the eye. The grey breast shades into the lemon yellow belly. The bill is blackish. The subspecies vary in the extent and intensity of the yellow on the belly, and birds in western southern Africa a have whitish throat and breast. The sexes are similar, but the juvenile has duller yellow underparts than the adult. The call is a high-pitched repeated tchee-tchee-tchuut. The Yellow-bellied Eremomela builds a cup nest in the branches of a tree or shrub, and lays two to four white eggs. This territorial species is monogamous, pairing for life. This bird is usually seen alone, in pairs, or in family groups as it forages on the ground or in foliage for insects and other small invertebrates This common species has a large range, with an estimated extent of 7,100,000 km². The population size is believed to be large, and 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.
  • Senegal Eremomela Eremomela canescens
  • Green-backed Eremomela Eremomela pusilla : The Green-backed Eremomela is a common resident breeder in tropical Africa from Senegal to Zaire and southern Sudan. This tiny passerine is typically found in open woodland. The Green-backed Eremomela builds a cup-shaped nest of leaves and silk low in a bush or tree. The normal clutch is two eggs. These 10.5 cm long warblers have olive upperparts and yellow underparts. The throat is white. The sexes are similar in appearance. Like most warblers, the Green-backed Eremomela is insectivorous. Its call is a squeaky tuuu and the song is a trill.
  • Greencap Eremomela Eremomela scotops : The Greencap Eremomela is found in Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and dry savanna.
  • Yellow-rumped Eremomela Eremomela gregalis : The Yellow-Rumped Eremomela is found in Namibia and South Africa. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.
  • Rufous-crowned Eremomela Eremomela badiceps : The Rufous-Crowned Eremomela is found in Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Togo, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.
  • Turner's Eremomela Eremomela turneri : The Turner's Eremomela is found in Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes. It is threatened by habitat loss.
    • Western Turner's Eremomela Eremomela turneri kalindei - probably extinct (early 1980s?)
  • Black-necked Eremomela Eremomela atricollis : The Black-Necked Eremomela is found in Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Zambia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and dry savanna.
  • Burnt-neck Eremomela Eremomela usticollis : The Burnt-Neck Eremomela is found in Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, dry savanna, and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.

• Genus Randia - Malagasy warblers?
  • Rand's Warbler Randia pseudozosterops : The Rand's Warbler is found only in Madagascar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.

• Genus Hemitesia
  • Neumann's Warbler Hemitesia neumanni : The Neumann's Warbler is found in Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes.

• Genus Amaurocichla - Timaliidae or Sylviidae?
  • Bocage's Longbill or São Tomé Short-tail Amaurocichla bocagei : The Bocage's Longbill or São Tomé Short-tail i s found only in Sao Tomé and Principe. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.

• Genus Bowdleria - fernbirds. Sometimes merged into Megalurus. Megaluridae?
  • Fernbird Bowdleria punctata
  • Chatham Islands Fernbird Bowdleria rufescens - extinct (c.1900) : The Chatham Islands Fernbird is an extinct bird species endemic to Pitt Island and Mangere Island (which belong to the Chatham Islands). Its next living relatives are the Snares Fernbird (Bowdleria caudata) and the New Zealand Fernbird or Matata (Bowdleria punctata). Some scientists considered it as subspecies of the Matata and named it Bowdleria punctata rufescens or Megalurus punctatus rufescens but most others regarded it as full species. While most scientists classified it in its own genus Bowdleria other taxonomists (e.g. ITIS) synonymized it with the Australasian genus Megalurus. But this happened on the basis of an incomplete review of the evidence. It reached a length of 18 cm. It wings were 5.9 to 6.7 cm. In contrast to other fernbird species it had unspotted underparts, a chestnut brown crest, a distinct white loral spot (= in the area between beak and eyes), and a dark red-brown back. It was insectivorous but nothing more is known about its ecology. The first individual was discovered in 1868 by New Zealand naturalist Charle Traill on Mangare Island. He killed this bird with a stone and send this specimen to Sir Walter Buller who described it as new species in 1869. In 1871 the population was described as rather common on Mangare but reduced on Pitt Island. The reasons for its extinction were apparently the brush fires, the overgrazing by goats and rabbits and the predation by rats and feral cats. The last specimen was shot for a collection by Lionel Walter Rothschild in 1895 and it was regarded as extinct by 1900. Museums specimens can be seen in Auckland, Cambridge, Massachusetts, Berlin, Chicago, Christchurch, London, Liverpool, New York City, Paris, Pittsburgh and Stockholm.

• Genus Chaetornis - Bristled Grassbird. Megaluridae? : The Bristled Grassbird, Chaetornis striatus, is a passerine bird making up the monotypic (one single species) genus Chaetornis. Chaetornis striata is endemic to the Indian subcontinent, where it is patchily and locally distributed in India, Nepal, and Pakistan. Formerly described as common in at least Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal (India) and parts of Bangladesh, it has declined. Formerly placed in the "Old World warbler" family Sylviidae, its true affiliations have not been restudied. From its external morphology, it might belong to the newly-established grass warbler family Megaluridae.

• Genus Schoenicola - grassbirds. Basal Megaluridae?
  • Broad-tailed Grassbird Schoenicola platyura : The Broad-Tailed Grassbird is found only in India. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist shrubland, subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland, and swamps. It is threatened by habitat loss.
  • Fan-tailed Grassbird Schoenicola brevirostris: The Fan-Tailed Grassbird is found in Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Guinea, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland and swamps.

• Genus Cincloramphus - songlarks. Basal Megaluridae?
  • Brown Songlark Cincloramphus cruralis
  • Rufous Songlark Cincloramphus mathewsi : The Rufous Songlark is found only in Australia.

• Genus Eremiornis - probably Megaluridae
  • Spinifex-bird Eremiornis carteri : The Spinifex-Bird is a species of Old World warbler in the Sylviidae family. It is found only in Australia.

• Genus Buettikoferella - probably Megaluridae
  • Buff-banded Bushbird Buettikoferella bivittata: The Buff-banded Bushbird is found in Indonesia and Timor-Leste.

• Genus Megalurulus - thicketbirds. Probably Megaluridae
  • New Caledonian Grassbird Megalurulus mariei : The New Caledonia Grassbird is endemic to New Caledonia. Also known as the New Caledonian Thicket-bird, this is a long-tailed, medium sized warbler with a distinctive bold white supercillium. The bird’s plumage is unstreaked, with olive-brown uppersides (including the crown and wings) and creamy white undersides. The New Caledonian Grassbird typically inhabits scrubby areas in the lowlands and hills of New Caledonia, particularly maquis minier with ferns, but also secondary forest and grasslands, and has even been seen in dense rainforest. It is generally solitary or seen in pairs and is non-migratory. The New Caledonian Grassbird favours dense cover and is retiring in its habits and is a difficult bird to observe or study.
  • Bismarck Thicketbird Megalurulus grosvenori : The Bismarck Thicketbird is found only in Papua New Guinea.
  • Bougainville Thicketbird Megalurulus llaneae : The Bougainville Thicketbird is found only in Papua New Guinea. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland.
  • Guadalcanal Thicketbird Megalurulus whitneyi : The Guadalcanal Thicketbird is found in Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes.
  • Rusty Thicketbird Megalurulus rubiginosus : The Rusty Thicketbird is found only in Papua New Guinea.

• Genus Trichocichla - Long-legged Warble or Long-legged Thicketbird (Trichocichla rufa): The Long-legged Warbler is endemic to Fiji. A small population is known to persist on the island of Viti Levu, while the subspecies cluniei from the island of Vanua Levu has not been seen since its discovery in 1974. The Long-legged Warbler is a large thin warbler (19cm) with a long tail and long legs. The species' plumage is reddish brown, the throat, breast and belly being white and the face being marked with a distinctive eye-stripe. The Long-legged Warbler is a shy bird and easily overlooked as it forages on the ground in pairs or small family groups. It has a distinctive alarm call, and a variable and loud song somewhat similar to that of the Fiji Bush-warbler. The species inhabits old-growth forest in mountainous areas on Viti Levu on the islands of Fiji, usually in habitat adjacent to streams. The Long-legged Warbler was first collected in 1890 and four specimens were collected between then an 1894, after which the species was not seen again until 1974 (though there were a few unconfirmed sightings). In 1974 a the Vanua Levu subspecies was discovered (although it has not been seen since). In 2003 scientists from BirdLife International working in Wabu Forest Reserve in Viti Levu discovered a small population. 12 pairs, along with two recently fledged chicks, were observed by the team. (BirdLife International, 2003) Other populations were subsequently found to occur in various locations in old-growth montane forest between 300 and 800 meters AMSL. The population is assessed to be stable or at least not declining rapidly, if very small (between 50-249 mature birds) but protection of sufficient habitat is necessary to keep it that way (BirdLife International, 2006). Threats include some logging and the impact of introduced predators (the Small Asian Mongoose and the Black Rat). Neither has been quantified, but they appear not to be very serious at the moment. (BirdLife International, 2006)

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