TABLE OF CONTENTS: LIST OF COLOUR PLATES 6
LIST OF PHOTOGRAPHIC PLATES 6
PREFACE 7
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 9
INTRODUCTION 11
Background to the research work 11
A user's guide 13
Taxonomic approach 13
Moult and plumage terminology 14
Age classes 15
Field identification 15
Ageing 16
Sexing 17
Colours 17
Measurements 18
Identification in-the-hand 18
Distribution maps 18
Layout of the book 19
Synopsis of species accounts 19
Abbreviations 22
Bird topography 23
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GENUS 24
Phylogeny and biogeography of the genus Sylvia 24
Phylogeny and systematics 24
Biogeography and regional diversity 29
General biology and ecology of the genus Sylvia General biology and ecology 31
Migration 35
Moult patterns and strategy 41
SPECIES ACCOUNTS
Palearctic Sylvia Warblers
Blackcap S. atricapilla 45
Garden Warbler S. borin 73
Barred Warbler S. nisoria 95
Lesser Whitethroat S. [curruca] 121
Western and Eastern Orphean Warblers S. [hortensis] 157
Arabian Warbler S. leucomelaena 189
Asian and African Desert Warblers S. [nana] 213
Common Whitethroat S. communis 237
Dartford Warbler S. undata 265
Marmora's and Balearic Warblers S. [sarda] 291
Tristram's Warbler S. deserticola 323
Spectacled Warbler S. conspicillata 345
Subalpine Warbler S. cantillans 369
Sardinian Warbler S. melanocephala 403
Ménétries's Warbler S. mystacea 437
Ruppell's Warbler S. rueppelli 467
Cyprus Warbler S. melanothorax 491
Afrotropical (Arabian) Sylvia (former 'Parisoma') 517
Yemen Warbler S. buryi 520
Brown Sylvia S. lugens 525
Chestnut-vented Warbler S. subcaeruleum 533
Layard's Warbler S. layardi 540
Banded Sylvia S. boehmi 546
REFERENCES 555
APPENDIX: BODY MASS OF SYLVIA SPECIES 569
INDEX 575
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