Iduna opaca
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
The western olivaceous warbler (Iduna opaca), also known as the isabelline warbler, is a "warbler", formerly placed in the Old World warblers when these were a paraphyletic wastebin taxon. It is now considered a member of the acrocephaline warblers, Acrocephalidae, in the tree warbler genus Iduna. It was formerly regarded as part of a wider "olivaceous warbler" species, but as a result of modern taxonomic developments, this species is now usually considered distinct from the eastern olivaceous warbler, Iduna pallida.
It is a small passerine bird, found in dry open country, including cultivation, with bushes or some trees. Two or three eggs are laid in a nest in low undergrowth or a bush. Like most warblers, the western olivaceous warbler is insectivorous.
It is a medium-sized warbler, more like a very pale reed warbler than its relative the melodious warbler. The adults have a plain pale brown back and whitish underparts. Its body length is about 13–14 centimetres (5.1–5.5 in), wingspan 18–21 centimetres (7.1–8.3 in) and weight 8–13 grams (0.28–0.46 oz). The bill is strong and pointed and the legs grey. The sexes are identical, as with most warblers, but young... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Niokolo-Koba National Park | 🇸🇳 Senegal | |
| 2 | Doñana National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marrakesh | 🇲🇦 Morocco | |
| 2 | Maiduguri | 🇳🇬 Nigeria | |
| 3 | Ouagadougou | 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso | |
| 4 | Rabat | 🇲🇦 Morocco | |
| 5 | Serrekunda | 🇬🇲 Gambia | |
| 6 | Dakar | 🇸🇳 Senegal |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Western Olivaceous Warbler sighting in Maiduguri on a given day, based on 12 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 47th most-seen of the 65 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Western Olivaceous Warbler in Maiduguri on a given day, against under 5% in May and June, the lowest months. That is one of Maiduguri's driest months, with almost no rain against 180 mm in August. November has too few records to rate.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Western Olivaceous Warbler sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 6 cities where we can rate Western Olivaceous Warbler sightings, Maiduguri ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Marrakesh (Morocco, about 10%).
Same order: Passeriformes
The closest relatives of the Western Olivaceous Warbler that you can see in Maiduguri (order Passeriformes, Perching Birds) are Greater Blue-eared Starling (about 90%), Common Bulbul (about 80%) and Long-tailed Glossy Starling (about 50%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Western Olivaceous Warbler is recorded against all the birds logged in Maiduguri (12 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
