Old World warbler
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. 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.
Characteristics
Most Old World Warblers are of generally undistinguished appearance, though some Asian species are boldly marked. The sexes are often identical, but may be clearly distinct, notably in the genus Sylvia. They are of small to medium size, varying from 9 to 16 centimetres in length, with a small, finely pointed bill. Almost all species are primarily insectivorous, although some will also eat fruit, nectar, or tiny seeds.
The majority of species are monogamous and build simple, cup-shaped nests in dense vegetation. They lay between two and six eggs per clutch, depending on species. Both parents typically help in raising the young, which are able to fly at around two weeks of age.
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 been 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 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, Megaluridae) 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.
Species
Family Sylviidae sensu stricto
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 genus on west coast of North America.
Genus Sylvia - typical warblers (c.20 species). Paraphyletic or contains Parisoma
Temperate Eurasian superspecies ("atricapilla-borin group")
Blackcap, Sylvia atricapilla
Garden Warbler, Sylvia borin
Parisoma superspecies
Banded Warbler, Parisoma boehmi
Layard's Warbler, Parisoma layardi
Rufous-vented Warbler, Parisoma subcaeruleum
curruca clade
Brown Warbler, Parisoma lugens
Yemen Warbler, Sylvia buryi - sometimes placed in Parisoma
Red Sea Warbler, Sylvia leucomelaena
(Western) Orphean Warbler, Sylvia hortensis
Eastern Orphean Warbler, Sylvia (hortensis) crassirostris
Lesser Whitethroat, Sylvia curruca
Hume's Whitethroat, Sylvia althaea
Small Whitethroat, Sylvia minula
Margelanic Whitethroat, Sylvia (minula) margelanica
communis-melanocephala assemblage
Barred Warbler, Sylvia nisoria - tentatively place here
Asian Desert Warbler, Sylvia nana
African Desert Warbler, Sylvia deserti
Whitethroat, Sylvia communis
Spectacled Warbler, Sylvia conspicillata
Tristram's Warbler, Sylvia deserticola
Dartford Warbler, Sylvia undata
Marmora's Warbler, Sylvia sarda
Balearic Warbler, Sylvia (sarda) balearica
Rüppell's Warbler, Sylvia rueppelli
Cyprus Warbler, Sylvia melanothorax
(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 Pseudoalcippe - African Hillbabbler. Formerly in Illadopsis (Timaliidae)
Genus Rhopophilus - White-browed Chinese Warbler. Formerly in Cisticolidae
Genus Lioparus - Golden-breasted Fulvetta. Formerly in Alcippe (Timaliidae)
Genus Paradoxornis - typical parrotbills (18 species). Formerly in Paradoxornithidae; polyphyletic
Genus Conostoma - Great Parrotbill. Formerly in Paradoxornithidae; tentatively placed here
Genus Fulvetta - typical fulvettas (7 species). Formerly in Alcippe (Timaliidae)
Genus Chrysomma - 3 species. Formerly in Timaliidae
Genus Chamaea - Wrentit
Moved to family Timaliidae
Genus Graminicola
Rufous-rumped Grassbird ("-babbler") Graminicola bengalensis
Moved to family Cisticolidae
Genus Bathmocercus - rufous-warblers
Black-capped Rufous-warbler Bathmocercus cerviniventris
Black-faced Rufous-warbler Bathmocercus rufus
Genus Sceptomycter - sometimes merged into Bathmocercus. Cisticolidae?
Mrs Moreau's Warbler Sceptomycter winifredae
Genus Poliolais - Cisticolidae or more basal like bulbuls?
White-tailed Warbler Poliolais lopezi
Two to 14 of the 15 tailorbirds
Moved to 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 (3 species)
Genus Nesillas - brush warblers (4 living species, 1 recently extinct)
Moved to Malagasy warblers
See Cibois et al. (2001) Genus Thamnornis
Thamnornis Thamnornis chloropetoides
Genus Cryptosylvicola
Cryptic Warbler Cryptosylvicola randriansoloi
Moved to 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
Marsh Grassbird Megalurus pryeri
Tawny Grassbird Megalurus timoriensis
Little Grassbird Megalurus gramineus
Striated Grassbird Megalurus palustris
Fly River Grassbird Megalurus albolimbatus
The Black-capped Donacobius Donacobius atricapillus which was long considered an aberrant wren might constitute the only American species of this family.
Moved to 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
Genus Hylia - tentatively placed here
Green Hylia Hylia prasina
Genus Abroscopus - Abroscopus warblers
Rufous-faced Warbler Abroscopus albogularis
Yellow-bellied Warbler Abroscopus superciliaris
Black-faced Warbler Abroscopus schisticeps
Genus Erythrocercus - monarch-warblers. Formerly Monarchinae.
Chestnut-capped Flycatcher Erythrocercus mccallii
Yellow Flycatcher Erythrocercus holochlorus
Livingstone's Flycatcher Erythrocercus livingstonei
Genus Urosphena - stubtails
Timor Stubtail Urosphena subulata
Babar Stubtail Urosphena subulata advena - extinct (mid-20th century)
Bornean Stubtail Urosphena whiteheadi
Asian Stubtail Urosphena squameiceps
Genus Tesia - tesias
Chestnut-headed Tesia Tesia castaneocoronata
Javan Tesia Tesia superciliaris
Slaty-bellied Tesia Tesia olivea
Grey-bellied Tesia Tesia cyaniventer
Russet-capped Tesia Tesia everetti
Genus Cettia - typical bush-warblers (some 15 species). Polyphyletic.
Genus Tickellia
Broad-billed Warbler Tickellia hodgsoni
Genus Phyllergates
Mountain Tailorbird Phyllergates cucullatus
Rufous-headed Tailorbird Phyllergates heterolaemus
Moved to Family Aegithalidae
Genus Leptopoecile - tit-warblers. Tentatively placed there.
White-browed Tit-warbler Leptopoecile sophiae
Crested Tit-warbler Leptopoecile elegans
Moved to 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
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 Seicercus omeiensis
Plain-tailed Warbler Seicercus soror
White-spectacled Warbler Seicercus affinis - paraphyletic
Bar-winged White-spectacled Warbler Seicercus (affinis) intermedius
Grey-cheeked Warbler Seicercus poliogenys
Grey-hooded Warbler Seicercus xanthoschistos
Chestnut-crowned Warbler Seicercus castaniceps
Yellow-breasted Warbler Seicercus montis
Sunda Warbler Seicercus grammiceps
"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
Lemon-bellied Crombec Sylvietta denti
White-browed Crombec Sylvietta leucophrys
Chapin's Crombec Sylvietta (leucophrys) chapini - possibly extinct (late 20th century?)
Northern Crombec Sylvietta brachyura
Short-billed Crombec Sylvietta philippae
Red-capped Crombec Sylvietta ruficapilla
Red-faced Crombec Sylvietta whytii
Somali Crombec Sylvietta isabellina
Cape Crombec Sylvietta rufescens
Genus Melocichla
Moustached Grass-warbler Melocichla mentalis
Genus Achaetops
Damara Rock-jumper Achaetops pycnopygius
Genus Sphenoeacus
Cape Grassbird Sphenoeacus afer
Genus N.N. - formerly Bradypterus (now Megaluridae)
Victorin's Scrub-warbler "Bradypterus" victorini
Genus Macrosphenus - longbills
Kemp's Longbill Macrosphenus kempi
Yellow Longbill Macrosphenus flavicans
Grey Longbill Macrosphenus concolor
Pulitzer's Longbill Macrosphenus pulitzeri
Kretschmer's Longbill Macrosphenus kretschmeri
"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
Grey Emu-tail Dromaeocercus seebohmi - sometimes separated in Amphilais
Genus Phyllolais - Cisticolidae?
Buff-bellied Warbler Phyllolais pulchella
Genus Graueria
Grauer's Warbler Graueria vittata
Genus Eremomela - eremomelas. Cettiidae?
Salvadori's Eremomela Eremomela salvadorii
Yellow-vented Eremomela Eremomela flavicrissalis
Yellow-bellied Eremomela Eremomela icteropygialis
Senegal Eremomela Eremomela canescens
Green-backed Eremomela Eremomela pusilla
Greencap Eremomela Eremomela scotops
Yellow-rumped Eremomela Eremomela gregalis
Rufous-crowned Eremomela Eremomela badiceps
Turner's Eremomela Eremomela turneri
Western Turner's Eremomela Eremomela turneri kalindei - probably extinct (early 1980s?)
Black-necked Eremomela Eremomela atricollis
Burnt-neck Eremomela Eremomela usticollis
Genus Randia - Malagasy warblers?
Rand's Warbler Randia pseudozosterops
Genus Hemitesia
Neumann's Warbler Hemitesia neumanni
Genus Bowdleria - fernbirds. Sometimes merged into Megalurus. Megaluridae?
Fernbird Bowdleria punctata
Chatham Islands Fernbird Bowdleria rufescens - extinct (c.1900)
Genus Chaetornis - Bristled Grassbird. Megaluridae?
Genus Schoenicola - grassbirds. Basal Megaluridae?
Broad-tailed Grassbird Schoenicola platyura
Fan-tailed Grassbird Schoenicola brevirostris
Genus Cincloramphus - songlarks. Basal Megaluridae?
Brown Songlark Cincloramphus cruralis
Rufous Songlark Cincloramphus mathewsi
Genus Eremiornis - probably Megaluridae
Spinifex-bird Eremiornis carteri
Genus Buettikoferella - probably Megaluridae
Buff-banded Bushbird Buettikoferella bivittata
Genus Megalurulus - thicketbirds. Probably Megaluridae
New Caledonian Grassbird Megalurulus mariei
Bismarck Thicketbird Megalurulus grosvenori
Bougainville Thicketbird Megalurulus llaneae
Guadalcanal Thicketbird Megalurulus whitneyi
Rusty Thicketbird Megalurulus rubiginosus
Genus Trichocichla - Long-legged Warbler
Not in Sylvioidea
Entirely unrelated songbirds hitherto placed in Sylviidae
Genus Amaurocichla - Apparently a Passeroidea; very close to, or part of the Motacillidae
Bocage's Longbill or São Tomé Short-tail Amaurocichla bocagei
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 Stenostira scita
Genus Hyliota - hyliotas. Basal Passerida with no known relatives, perhaps somewhat closer to Promeropidae (sugarbirds)
Yellow-bellied Hyliota Hyliota flavigaster
Southern Hyliota Hyliota australis
Usambara Hyliota Hyliota usambarae
Violet-backed Hyliota Hyliota violacea
Genus Newtonia - newtonias. Now in Vangidae (vangas); possibly polyphyletic (Yamagishi et al. 2001)
Dark Newtonia Newtonia amphichroa
Common Newtonia Newtonia brunneicauda
Archbold's Newtonia Newtonia archboldi
Red-tailed Newtonia Newtonia fanovanae - tentatively placed here
Translation of "Old World warbler"
Breton: Sylviidae, Catalan: Sílvid, Chuvash: Чечен кайăк йышшисем, Danish: Sangere, German: Grasmückenartige, Spanish: Sylviidae, Esperanto: Silviedoj, French: Sylviidae (Sibley), West Frisian: Sjongers, Croatian: Grmuše, Italian: Sylviidae, Hebrew: סבכיים, Georgian: ასპუჭაკასებრნი, Lithuanian: Devynbalsiniai, Hungarian: Óvilági poszátafélék, Dutch: Zangers (vogels), Japanese: ウグイス科 (Sibley), Norwegian (Bokmål): Sangerfamilien, Polish: Pokrzewkowate, Portuguese: Sylviidae, Russian: Славковые, Finnish: Kertut, Swedish: Sångare (fåglar), Thai: นกกระจิบ, Turkish: Ötleğengiller, Vietnamese: Họ Lâm oanh, Chinese: 莺科.
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