A recent paper on the ‘Mitochondrial phylogeny
of the Eurasian-African reed warbler complex’ has confirmed by DNA samples that
two subspecies of Eurasian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus occur in
Saudi Arabia and birds from the southwest once thought to be African Reed
Warbler A. baeticatus are in fact Acrocephalus scirpaceus avicenniae.
The other subspecies is Acrocephalus scirpaceus fuscus that occurs
in central Saudi Arabia (Riyadh - DNA) and Eastern Saudi Arabia (Jubail -
ringing details). The paper mentioned above says fuscus is a
well-supported clade containing all samples from Kazakhstan and several from
Saudi Arabia and Israel, where four samples from Lake Kenneret, collected some
time later than 21 May in 1995, may have been local breeders. The western-most
sampling locality in the presumed breeding range are Astrachan and Azerbaijan, suggesting
that the ranges of fuscus and scirpaceus abut somewhere between
the Black and the Caspian Seas. The second clade was avicenniae containing
the holotype of avicenniae from Eritrea and samples from breeding
populations in Saudi Arabia (Al Shuqaiq), but also a sample from Kenya
originally attributed to fuscus. As the latter was obtained away from
the breeding grounds, misidentification is a possibility. Most probably this
sample represents a migrant from the Red Sea mangrove population. The range of avicenniae
is generally believed to be confined to mangroves bordering the Red Sea, but
has recently been extended to reach Egypt (Hering et al., 2011a). The papers records from Lake Kenneret inland Israel,
and the observations by Morgan (1998) and Hering et al. (2009, 2011b), imply
that this taxon may have a larger distribution and wider choice of habitats
than previously known. I have trapped and ringed both these subspecies in Saudi
Arabia with photos below of both types and have blood samples from Either
Mangroves and Al Qahma Mangroves in the southwest. These blood samples will be
tested soon to find out where they lay in relation to the other birds sampled,
but will almost certainly be Mangrove Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus
avicenniae which is what was assumed when trapped and measured.
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| Caspian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus fuscus |
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| Mangrove Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus avicenniae |