[order] Passeriformes | [family] Sylviidae | [latin] Cettia cetti | [UK] Cettis Warbler | [FR] Bouscarle de Cetti | [DE] Seidensänger | [ES] Ruiseñor Bastardo de Cetti | [IT] Usignolo di fiume | [NL] Cettis Zanger
spanwidth min.: 15 cm
spanwidth max.: 19 cm
size min.: 12 cm
size max.: 14 cm
Breeding
incubation min.: 16 days
incubation max.: 17 days
fledging min.: 14 days
fledging max.: 16 days
broods 2
eggs min.: 3
eggs max.: 5
Physical characteristics
Medium-sized, quite robust warbler, with fine bill, domed head, short round wings, and relatively long, much rounded tail. Plumage rather dark and dull essentially rufous-brown above and greyish below, with dull white sopercilium and dull white spots on brown under tail-coverts. Sudden loud outburst of song diagnostic. Sexes alike, little seasonal variation.
Habitat
In lower middle latitudes of west Palearctic, in temperate, Mediterranean, steppe, and some desert zones. Lives basically in warm situations where thick shelter normally enables survival throughout year, even though occasional severe winters inflict heavy mortality, and emigration may be enforced from northern fringes. Since 1920 this species has successfully expanded over cooler oceanic lowlands fronting Bay of Biscay, English Channel, and North Sea, with winter temperatures liable to fall below 0 Celcius.
Other details
Cettia cetti is a widespread breeder across much of southern Europe, which accounts for less than half of its global breeding range. Its European breeding population is large (>600,000 pairs), and increased between 1970-1990. Although the species declined slightly in Greece during 1990-2000, key populations in Italy and Turkey were stable, and trends were increasing or stable across the rest of its European range. The species hence underwent a small increase overall, and consequently is evaluated as Secure.
Feeding
Chiefly insects, also other invertebrates, taken mostly from or near ground. Diet not uncommonly includes aquatic invertebrates, perhaps more often in winter, presumably taken from water's edge or by reaching down to surface from raise stems, etc.
Conservation
This species has a large range, with an estimated global Extent of Occurrence of 1,000,000-10,000,000 km². It has a large global population, including an estimated 1,200,000-3,300,000 individuals in Europe (BirdLife International in prep.). Global population trends have not been quantified, but 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. [conservation status from birdlife.org]
Breeding
Breeds Mid to end June in West and South-West Europe, including Britain, Greece and Southern Russia. Nest site is built in thick vegetation supported on stems of reed or nettle among twigs, or occasionally in stouter branches of dense tangled scrub. Nest, bulky, untidy cup, with base of leaves and stems, finer stems and roots above, lined with feathers, hair, reed flowers, and other fine material. 4-5 eggs are laid, incubation 16 days, by female only.
Migration
North east populations winter locally s to s Afghanistan, Pakistan and nw India. (Sibley Charles G. 1996) . Rare vagrant in W Europe