Common Whitethroat

Sylvia communis

Records: 73

 

 

Drafted by: Faansie Peacock

Draft Text Last Updated: 14 June 2005

Send comments/inputs to the

 

 

Distribution: Unlike the scattered pattern evident from the Garden Warbler data (the only other Sylvia warbler in the region), the Common Whitethroat was recorded from relatively few localities. Recorded from a total of 6 areas, as follows: Zaagkuildrift, Wolfhuiskraal & Kgomo-Kgomo (25 records = 34%), Mkhombo & Loding (22 records = 30%), Buffelsdrift Conservancy (21 records = 29%) & smaller numbers from Ditholo NR, Mdala NR & Suikerbosrand NR.

 

Gaps in Knowledge: Extent and causes of population fluctuations still unlear. Areas in the W still largely unsampled, especially rural areas in the NW.

 

Habitat: Typically found in Acacia woodlands, where it spends most of its time in the understorey (i.e. below 1m), being especially prevalent in dense shrubs such as Dichrostachys, Grewia, Gymnosporia & Ziziphus, stunted Acacia bushes, coarse weeds and similar, low, dense cover. Largely insectivorous, but also feeds on small, soft berries, including Grewia (SABAP 2:230).

 

Status and movements: Non-breeding Palearctic migrant. Arrival in the region is only from mid-summer onwards, with the first records being on 5 December (R. Geyser & P. Wilgenbus). Departure is in April, with the last record on 17 April (E. Retief). This species is prone to influxes in some years, and numbers fluctuate considerably, depending on rainfall and probably other environmental variables. Data for the 2001-2002 season is not complete, but it is interesting to note that 50 records (=68%) were from the 2002-2003 season, 18 (=25%) from 2003-2004, and only 3 records (=4%) from the 2004-2005 season. The latter data set did not however incorporate March and April 2005. Although included in the above calculations, a record for Suikerbosrand NR on 15 August 2004 is almost certainly erronous.

 

Population:  Can be locally common, with several birds present in the same general area, e.g. 8 individuals were recorded along the Zaakguildrift road, with 3 birds responding to a Pearl-spotted Owl call simultaneously (F. & A. van Vuuren). At the same locality, 4 birds were recorded foraging in a mixed bird party (P. Penlington). The total number in the PCC/BiG region probably exceeds 10 000 birds in some years.

 

Conservation: Not threatened. Droughts in the Sahel region have caused major population crashes in the European breeding grounds, but it is unknonwn whether this is also applicable to birds that are present in the PCC/BiG region.