Dartford Warbler

Like many typical warblers, this small passerine bird has distinct male and female plumages. The male of this small Sylvia has a grey back and head, reddish underparts, and a red eye . The reddish throat is spotted with white. The female is paler below, especially on the throat, and a browner grey below. The song is a distinctive rattling warble.

The Dartford Warbler is classified as Near Threatened (NT), is close to qualifying for or is likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future.

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The Dartford Warbler, Sylvia undata, is a typical warbler from the warmer parts of western Europe, and northwestern Africa. Its breeding range lies west of a line from southern England to the heel of Italy (southern Apulia). The Dartford Warbler is usually resident all-year in its breeding range, but there is some limited migration. More

Warbler and the Dartford Warbler (Helbig 2001, Jønsson & Fjeldså 2006). They are generally resident but some birds migrate south to winter in north Africa. They are rare vagrants to northern and western Europe. These are small, long tailed, large-headed birds, overall very similar to their close relatives in thr Dartford Warbler group. Marmora's Warblers are grey above and below, lacking the brick-red underparts of the Dartford Warbler. More

Female Dartford warbler feeding young© Jean-Louis Le Moigne / www.nhpa.co.uk Male Dartford warbler perched on branch© Dinis Cortes Male Dartford warbler on branch© Dinis Cortes Male Dartford warbler© Derek Middleton / www.flpa-images.co.uk Female Dartford warbler perched on branch© Tony Tilford / www.osfimages.com Male Dartford warbler displaying characteristic tail bobbing behaviour© George Reszeter / www.ardea.com Male Dartford warbler calling© Alan Williams / www.nhpa.co. More

warblers, the Dartford Warbler is insectivorous, but will also take berries. The song is a distinctive rattling warble. Chasing WarblersDesert Warblers: The Desert Warbler is an Old World warbler which has two distinctive forms. These were previously treated as subspecies, but are now given specific status. African Desert Warbler, Sylvia deserti is a resident breeder in northwest Africa. Asian Desert Warbler, Sylvia nana breeds in south central temperate Asia. More

Numbers of Dartford warblers on Exmoor have taken off in the last decade - much to the delight of conservationists. In an amazing turnaround in fortunes, the beautiful Dartford warbler has staged a remarkable recovery on Exmoor. In 1994, there was just one pair of Dartford warblers on the moor, part of which is in Devon and part in Somerset. But the latest RSPB survey found 115 pairs on Exmoor. The figure reflects a national recovery for the species. More

After an absence of more than 60 years, Dartford warblers returned to Suffolk as a breeding bird in 1996. Since then they have increased, and expanded their range away from the National Trust’s Dunwich Heath reserve, where they first returned. Less than ten years after their return, 113 pairs were recorded in Suffolk in 2005, including 36 pairs on RSPB reserves on the coast. This compares with 77 pairs in 2003 and 91 pairs in 2004. More

Dartford#01The Dartford Warbler has become re-established on Dunwich Heath within the last decade or so, and there is now a healthy breeding population of around twenty pairs. The bird has also expanded onto suitable habitat up and down the Suffolk coast. The males become active and mark out their territories in early spring, making this probably the best time to get good views of this handsome scrub warbler. More

For the purposes of our bird news services, Dartford Warbler is classed as Local: generally fairly regular or common species that a 'county lister' or a birding beginner might be interested in going to see. (Note that rarity levels are currently applied nationally and may not reflect local variations in abundance. More

(Editor's note: Dartford warbler has now returned as a breeding bird to Suffolk) In fact this one-time Suffolk resident lingered in the county until at least the late 1920s. Southernmost England is on the northern fringe of the range of this essentially Mediterranean bird. Fortunately a succession of mild winters has meant that the remaining gorse-clad heaths in Surrey, the New Forest, Dorset and Devon are at present holding perhaps as many as a thousand pairs of Dartfords. More

Report from Birdwatch states that Dartford Warblers in the Thames Basin and Wealden Heaths have crashed. Estimated to have reached around 10 pairs in 208 down to 17 in 209. This is a decrease aproaching 90 per cent! February snow is implicated. How have they fared elsewhere? nexstarneil... read more... www.birdforum.net Sponsorship = I am manager of a kids U12 fotbal team in Dartford, Dartford Vikings. More

Numbers of the cherished Dartford warbler may fall by up to 75% in the Get Hampshire area following recent heavy snowfall, experts have said. Record numbers of the rare bird were found in Hampshire last year, but it is thought that at least half would have been wiped out last week. The Dartford warbler relies heavily on sheltering in gorse bushes during the winter. The gorse provides food and shelter and is particularly important during periods of snow and frost. More

winters, has seen the UK’s Dartford warbler population fare better. Despite crashing to 11 pairs in the harsh winter of 1963, the UK population is now estimated at around 3,200 pairs. Sam Dawes, of RSPB South East, said: "The impact of this winter’s snow shows what a fine balance there is for these birds between success and failure. More

Dartford warbler numbers plummet By Nicola Hudson June 30, 2009 A THREATENED species of bird has seen its numbers plummet following the harsh winter earlier this year. Initial reports suggest Dartford warbler numbers on important heathland sites in Hampshire and Surrey are down by 80-90% from 2008 due to February’s heavy snowfall. The Thames Basin Heaths are the third largest breeding grounds for Dartford warblers in the UK. More

Surrey heathlands have seen a drop in the number of Dartford warblers since the winter snows earlier this year Surrey heathlands have seen a drop in the number of Dartford warblers since the winter snows earlier this year advertisement advertisement Snow cuts numbers of rare Dartford warbler By Melanie Hall December 04, 2009 EFFORTS made by Surrey planners to protect a rare bird have failed to halt an 88% population decrease since last year, a survey has revealed. More

Dartford Warbler was first described from Bexleyheath, near Dartford in NW Kent in 1773, but the population is now extinct in this area since the early 20th century. It is a small warbler with short wings and long tail. Adult male has dark slaty-brown upperparts, with browner wings. Tail is dark brown with grey-edged feathers and whitish-edged outer rectrices. Head and mantle are rather greyer. Underparts are dark vinous-red on chin, throat, breast and flanks. More

has confirmed that the Dartford Warbler population has crashed from an estimated 1001 pairs last year to 117 in 2009, a decrease of 88%. This is attributed to heavy snowfall in the area in early February 2009. Dartford Warbler Dartford Warbler © Richard Ford www.digitalwildlife.co. More

In 1963 there were only 11 surviving pairs of Dartford warblersIn 1963 there were only 11 surviving pairs of Dartford warblers bbb'The Dartford warbler is a wonderful species but its vulnerability to the cold and wet' The Dartford warbler, once reduced to only a handful of pairs in the 1960s, has made a spectacular comeback, according to the latest survey. More

Dartford warblers on the increase = 30/08/2006 00:00:00 Dartford warbler habits - * The Dartford warbler is an active, inquisitive bird rarely allowing us more than a fleeting glimpse before diving for cover in gorse and heather. More