Riippell's Warbler (Sylvia rueppelli). No recent records and no specific men- 
tion with regards to Kuwait (Cramp 1992). One record of an adult female in 
May 1985. 
Desert Warbler (Sylvia nana). A regular winter visitor and, along with Desert 
Wheatear, one of the most commonly encountered wintering small birds in 
Kuwait. Birds with singing display flights have been seen near to Kuwait 
City, particularly during February 1994. 
Orphean Warbler (Sylvia hortensis). A scarce but regular migrant in very small 
numbers. Easily overlooked in some plumages amongst large falls of warbler, 
particularly S. nisoria and S. curruca. 
Barred Warbler (Sylvia nisoria). A very common and widespread migrant in 
both spring and autumn in most years, but particularly May 1993: Wide but 
subtle variation can be noticed amongst groups of adults especially in the 
amount of crescentic scalloping on the underparts of adult males. 
Hume's Lesser Whitethroat (Sylvia curruca althea). Status uncertain, but birds 
showing characters of this species have been tentatively identified by the 
author in the field, but unfortunately not in the hand. 
Desert Lesser Whitethroat (Sylvia curruca minula). Claimed in small numbers 
by the author. Birds in the winter of 1984/85 were particularly noticeable and 
in evidence in the southern border areas of Kuwait. Certainly this 
species/ subspecies is not as common and obvious in Kuwait as it is further 
south in the Arabian Peninsula during the winter. 
Whitethroat (Sylvia communis). A common and widespread migrant particu- 
larly in spring, though very few adult males of the species seem to be record- 
ed in Kuwait. Adult females appear very pallid and washed out in the field, 
but this could be in part due to the intense light. Adult males are generally 
easy to recognise in the field hence the suspicion that old Ahmadi Natural 
History Society records of S. consmcillata, S. cantillans and S. melanocepnala, if 
referring only to females or immatures, must be considered dubious. 
Garden Warbler (Sylvia borin). Regular and widespread passage migrant in 
both spring and autumn. 
Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla). A regular and locally abundant passage migrant 
in both spring and autumn. 
The Sylvia genus requires a complete revision with regard to Kuwait. It is not 
known if any or all the old past records from the Ahmadi Natural History 
Society transactions refer to males. It is difficult to believe that previous 
observers would attribute and submit as firm records female or immatures of 
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