Barred warbler facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Barred warbler |
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| Adult male, Poland | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Curruca
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| Species: |
nisoria
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| Range of S. nisoria Breeding Passage Non-breeding | |
| Synonyms | |
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The barred warbler (Curruca nisoria) is a cool bird that lives in many parts of Europe and Asia. It's a type of typical warbler, which is a small songbird. These birds are very good at migrating. They fly all the way to tropical eastern Africa for the winter!
This warbler is the biggest in its group, called Curruca warblers. It grows to be about 15.5 to 17 centimeters long. That's about the length of your hand! It usually weighs between 22 and 36 grams.
Barred warblers are mostly grey on their backs and whitish underneath. Adult males have dark grey backs. Their wing and tail feathers have white tips. They also have cool dark stripes, or "bars," on their chests and bellies.
Female barred warblers look a lot like the males. But their colors are a bit lighter, and their stripes are not as strong. Young birds are brownish-grey on top and pale yellow-brown underneath. They have very few stripes. This can make them hard to tell apart from other young birds, like garden warblers.
You can spot a barred warbler by its eyes. Adults have bright yellow eyes. Young birds have dark eyes. Their beaks are dark with a lighter bottom part. Their legs are strong and grey-brown.
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What's in a Name?
The scientific name for the barred warbler is Curruca nisoria. The word nisoria comes from a old Latin word. It means "like a Eurasian sparrowhawk". This is because sparrowhawks also have barred patterns on their feathers.
Where Barred Warblers Live and What They Eat
Barred warblers love open areas that have lots of bushes. These bushes are perfect for building their nests. They often live in similar places to the red-backed shrike, another bird that likes bushy areas.
They build their nests in low bushes or thorny plants called brambles. A female barred warbler usually lays between three and seven eggs.
Like most warblers, these birds mainly eat insects. They are great at catching bugs! But in late summer and autumn, they also enjoy eating berries and other soft fruits.
Their song is a pleasant chattering sound. It's a bit like the song of a garden warbler. But the barred warbler's song is a little harsher and higher-pitched. It can even sound a bit like the common whitethroat's song.
Where You Can Find Them
There are many barred warblers in Europe. Scientists think there are about 460,000 pairs. But their numbers have gone down in some places. This is especially true in western areas like Denmark and Germany. This is because their homes are being lost due to farming.
However, in other places like Ukraine and southern Finland, their numbers have actually gone up! Further east, in places like Kazakhstan, their populations are stable.
Barred warblers are often seen in Great Britain during their autumn migration. About 100 to 200 are spotted each year. They usually show up on the east coast between late August and late October. They are much rarer in Ireland. Most of the birds seen in Britain and Ireland are young birds. Adult barred warblers are very rarely seen there.
Images for kids
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Immature barred warbler on migration, England
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Egg, Collection Museum Wiesbaden, Germany
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Cuculus canorus canorus (cuckoo) egg in a Sylvia nisoria clutch - MHNT
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Curruca nisoria nisoria - MHNT
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