Icterine Warbler

Hippolais icterina

Introduction

Like a larger and more robust version of a Willow Warbler, this scarce autumn visitor from central Europe is increasingly also recorded in spring and has been recorded breeding.

Key Stats

Rare

13.2g

4-5

<1%

BTO Records

4.9k records

Population and distribution stats for:

No data

No current data

% expansion

No data

No current data

-100% contraction

Identification

Curated resources to aid in the identification of Icterine Warbler

Songs and Calls

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Listen to example recordings of the main vocalisations of Icterine Warbler, provided by xeno-canto contributors.

Song:

Call:

Status and Trends

Population size, trends and patterns of distribution based on BTO and partnership surveys and atlasses with data collected by BTO volunteers.

Conservation Status

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This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.

Species of European Conservation Concern

Least Concern

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global)

Least Concern

Schedule 1 Licence required (to disturb)*

Birds Directive Annex 1

Listed on the Annexes of*

Bern(III), Bonn(II)

* A guide only. Check details with the original legislation, especially those marked with an asterisk. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Size

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BOU Category

Source

First Record*

Kent, 1848

* First documented occurrence. Most species undoubtedly occurred before this. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Change

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Population trends of this scarce species are not routinely monitored.

Distribution

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Most Icterine Warblers recorded in the UK are passage migrants but during Bird Atlas 2007–11

Occupied 10-km squares in UK

These figures come from Bird Atlas 2007 and indicate how widespread a species is.

No. occupied in breeding season

% occupied in breeding season

0.9%

Bird Atlas distribution maps show where bird species breed or winter in Britain and Ireland. For breeding maps, larger dots indicate higher certainty the species bred in that area.

Breeding Distribution for Icterine Warbler

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

To view and download up-to-date distribution information aggregated from across BTO and partnership surveys and schemes, see our data holdings on the NBN Atlas.

European Distribution Map

European Breeding Bird Atlas 2

Distribution Change

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Change in occupied 10-km squares in the UK

These figures come from Bird Atlas 2007-11 and indicate by how much occupied areas have expanded or contracted over recent decades.

% change in range in winter (1981–84 to 2007–11)

-100 %

Bird Atlas distribution change maps show how bird distributions have changed through time. Coloured upward-pointing triangles show places apparently colonised over the period; grey downward-pointing triangles show places apparently vacated. Shading show places occupied.

Winter Distribution change for Icterine Warbler

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

Breeding Distribution change for Icterine Warbler

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

Seasonality

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Icterine Warbler is a scarce passage migrant, with a pulse of spring records in late May and June sometimes involving singing birds. Autumn passage migrants are typically in August and September.

Weekly pattern of occurrence

The graph shows when the species is present in the UK, with taller bars indicating a higher likelihood of encountering the species in appropriate regions and habitats.

Phenology graph — Weekly occurrence patterns (shaded cells and reporting rates (vertical bars) based on BirdTrack data. Reporting rates give the likelihood of encountering the species each week.

Movement

Information about Icterine Warbler movements and migration based on online bird portals (e.g. BirdTrack), Ringing schemes and tracking studies.

Britain & Ireland movement

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View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report

Foreign locations of birds ringed or recovered in Britain & Ireland

Dots show the foreign destinations of birds ringed in Britain & Ireland, and the origins of birds ringed overseas that were subsequently recaptured, resighted or found dead in Britain & Ireland. Dot colours indicate the time of year that the species was present at the location.

Winter (Nov-Feb)
Spring (Mar-Apr)
Summer (May-Jul)
Autumn (Aug-Oct)

Foreign locations of birds ringed or recovered in Britain & Ireland

European movements

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EuroBirdPortal uses birdwatcher's records, such as those logged in BirdTrack to map the flows of birds as they arrive and depart Europe. See maps for this species here.

The Eurasian-African Migration Atlas shows movements of individual birds ringed or recovered in Europe. See maps for this species here.

Biology

Lifecycle and body size information for Icterine Warbler, including statistics on nesting, eggs and lifespan based on BTO ringing and nest recording data.

Productivity and Nesting

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Nesting timing

Typical (exceptional) number of broods

Source

Egg measurements

Typical length x width

18x14 mm

Mass (% shell)

1.7g (6%)

Source

Clutch Size

Typical number

5-4 eggs

Observed minimum and maximum

2-7 eggs

Source

Incubation

Incubation by

Male + Female

Typical duration

15-13 days

Source

Fledging

Type of chick

Altricial, naked

Typical duration

14-13 days

Source

Survival and Longevity

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Survival is shown as the proportion of birds surviving from one year to the next and is derived from bird ringing data. It can also be used to estimate how long birds typically live.

View number ringed each year in the Online Ringing Report.

lifespan

Typical life expectancy of bird reaching breeding age

2 years with breeding typically at 1 year

Survival of adults

All adults

0.5

Source

Survival of juveniles

All juveniles

0.332 (in first year)

Source

Biometrics

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Wing length and body weights are from live birds (source).

Wing length

Average ±1 std deviation; range and sample size in brackets.

Juvenile

77.3±2 mm

(73-80 mm, N=57)

All adults

78±2.2 mm

(73-80 mm, N=35)

Body weight

Average ±1 std deviation; range and sample size in brackets.

Juvenile

77.3±2 mm

(73-80 mm, N=57)

All adults

78±2.2 mm

(73-80 mm, N=35)

Ring Size

Classification, names and codes

Taxonomy, names and species codes for Icterine Warbler

Classification and Codes

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Order: Passeriformes
Family: Acrocephalidae
Scientific name: Hippolais icterina
Authority: Vieillot, 1817

BTO 2-letter code: IC
BTO 5-letter code: ICTWA
Euring code number: 12590

Alternate species names

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Catalan: busqueta icterina
Czech: sedmihlásek hajní
Danish: Gulbug
Dutch: Spotvogel
Estonian: käosulane
Finnish: kultarinta
French: Hypolaïs ictérine

German: Gelbspötter
Hungarian: kerti geze
Icelandic: Spésöngvari
Irish: Ceolaire Ictireach
Italian: Canapino maggiore
Latvian: iedzeltenais kaukis
Lithuanian: paprastoji tošinuke
Norwegian: Gulsanger

Polish: zaganiacz (zwyczajny)
Portuguese: felosa-amarela
Slovak: sedmohlások obycajný
Slovenian: rumeni vrtnik
Spanish: Zarcero icterino
Swedish: härmsångare
Welsh: Telor Aur

More Evidence

More evidence from Conservation Evidence.com

Partners

Birdfacts is based on data collected by volunteers participating in surveys that are organised and funded by BTO, RSPB, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, JNCC and other partners.

BTO

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

JNCC

RSPB

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