Tuesday 20 December 2011

Cetti's Warbler (Cettia cetti)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Cettia (after Francesco Cetti) cetti (after Francesco Cetti)
Adult Cett's Warbler (subspecies C. c. cetti) at Oare Marshes - September 2012

Featured Subspecies: Cettia cetti cetti
Weight: 12-15g  /  Length: 14cm  /  Wingspan: 17cm
UK GREEN LIST  IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Cetti's warbler is one of the most recent colonists to the UK - only establishing itself in 1973 - it is a reedbed dweller, and even compared to our other reedbed dwelling species can be a pain to catch more than a fleeting glance.  Unlike our other reedbed warbler species however, it remains in the UK during the winter.  Actually getting a positive identification on this species can be a pain, and you are much more likely to hear one than see one - but, if you look in the Winter when it'll be the only warbler in the reeds you might just strike lucky.  I've had a little luck playing back a recorded Cetti's song to get them to emerge.

Related Species:
Order:
Passeriformes
Family: Cettidae
Genus: Cettia
Subspecies: C. c. cetti, C. c. orientalis, C. c. albiventris

- Sighting Locations -
UNITED KINGDOM - Unommon breeding resident (2000 males) in Southern Britain
 - Various sites including Rutland WaterRainham Marshes, Ditchford Gravel Pits and Oare Marshes. 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red ListRSPBWikipedia, Xeno-canto

2 comments:

  1. Any pic of a Cetti's is a good one Alex - ours are infuriating in that they are close enough to photograph from the hides but just won't stay still long enough - pesky things!!!

    Cheers

    Davo

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  2. I know the feeling! - I spent several hours trying to lure them out at Rainham earlier in the year to no avail! I suspect the two I saw this time were too busy squabbling in the poor light to notice me!

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