On the song of Sylvia curruca, Sylvia nana and Sylvia communis in Mongolia [abstract]

Traditionally, taxonomists used morphological characters (size and plumage) to distinguish taxa and subspecies of whitethroat species. In this study I compare the vocalisation of lesser whitethroat, desert whitethroat and whitethroat from Mongolia with those of the Western subspecies. The analysis was carried out on samples of songs recorded from some males during 1979 and 1983 in different locations in Mongolia. Of the songs of Sylvia curruca blythi few differ in number and structure of elements from those of the nominate European S. c. curruca and from the (sub-) species S. (c.) althaea in Middle Asia. The song of Sylvia n. nana is similar in structure to that of the North African S. n. deserti. The song of the Mongolian Sylvia communis is pure and simple in comparison with that of Western individuals.