Sylvia

Sylvia 

(warblers), a genus of birds of the family Sylviidae of the order Passeriformes. Sylvia warblers range from 12 to 15 cm in length. The plumage combines various shades of gray, white, black, and rust. Several species have distinct male and female plumages.

The 17 species of Sylvia are distributed throughout Europe, western Asia, and North Africa. The species that breed in the north are migratory, wintering in Africa and southwestern Asia. Ten species of Sylvia occur in the USSR. The lesser white-throat, whitethroat, and garden warbler are common. Sylvia warblers inhabit forest edges and thickets on floodplains, deserts, and mountain slopes. The nests are open and are placed in bushes. A clutch usually contains from four to five speckled eggs. Incubation lasts from ten to 15 days. Sylvia warblers feed on insects, spiders, and berries. Some species, for example, the blackcap and the Orphean warbler, are good singers.