NON-INDIGENOUS BRITISH BIRDS. 69 



Family TURDID.E. Genus Hypolais. 



Sub-family SYLVIINyE. 



ICTERINE WARBLER. 



Hypolais hypolais {Li?i?ice7is) . 



(British : Very rare abnormal spring and autumn migrant.) 



Single Brooded. Laying season, latter end of May and in June. 



Breeding area : West-central Palaearctic region. 

 The Icterine Warbler breeds in Norway as far north as 

 the Arctic circle, but in Sweden and West Russia not 

 beyond lat. 6^^, and in East Russia no higher than lat. 

 57°. Southwards it breeds in Central Russia, the Baltic 

 Provinces, throughout Germany, Denmark, Holland, 

 Belgium, Northern France, Italy, and Sicily. 



Breeding habits : The Icterine Warbler is another 

 very late migrant, not reaching its more northerly 

 breeding grounds before the first or even the second 

 week in May. It is probable that the males arrive a 

 little before the females, and song does not commence 

 until the latter appear. Pairing takes place annually. 

 The favourite breeding places of this Warbler are 

 gardens and hedgerows which contain trees and high 

 bushes, orchards and well-cultivated lands near to 

 houses. During the nesting season the male is a very 

 persistent singer, very jealous of his particular haunt, 

 and ready to quarrel with and beat off any intruder. 

 The nest is usually made in a fork of the branches of a 

 small tree or large bush — a lilac tree is a favourite spot 

 — not more than eight or ten feet from the ground. It 

 is made on a somewhat similar plan to that of the Gold- 

 finch, but in a series of nests great variation is to be 

 observed, some being much better made than others. It 

 is cup-shaped, and made externally of moss and dry 



