04 June 2023

Arabian Warbler nesting – Taif

Whilst birding the Taif area my wife found the nest of an Arabian Warbler in some acacia trees by the side of a wadi in the city. We took a couple of quick photos and left the bird in peace. This is the first time I have seen the nest of this species although I regularly see the species itself. The Arabian Warbler is a locally common breeding resident in bushy areas of the Hejaz and Asir mountains occurring in the eastern desert fringes as well as on the temperate summits. It has a somewhat narrow habitat preference, of thick acacia scrub in dry locations, notably scrub-covered hillsides, and is not so easy to locate. The Saudi Arabian sub-species is Silvia. I. leucomelaena.