Red Warbler
By Charlie • March 27, 2007 • 3 commentsRed Warbler Ergaticus ruber
Desierto de los Leones, Mexico City. 26 March 2005 and 24 March 2007
The dazzingly beautiful Red Warbler, a Mexican endemic found in oak-pine woodland between 2000 and 3500m, is common at Desierto de Los Leones (just outside Mexico City) where it’s distinctive “pseet” call is one of the commoner sounds along the trails through the forest above the main access road. Active and restless, birds are often seen racing across gaps in the tree cover and rarely stay in one place for very long: they do respond to pishing though, and the few seconds they stop to work out why a near-breathless and exhausted human is making strange noises in their direction is probably the best chance to get a decent look at them…
Three subspecies occur, differing mainly in the whiteness of the cheek-patch (and intensity of the rose-red plumage). The nominate “white-eared” ruber, which is featured below, occurs around Mexico City and covers most of the species’ range; the southernmost subspecies, rowleyi, is identical to ruber except for more vibrant red underparts (thus is also “white-eared”). The “gray-eared” melanauris, is the most northerly form occurring north of the Tropic of Cancer in Chihuahua south to Nayarit. (Thanks to Michael Retter of Xenospiza.com for clarification)
All photos copyright Charlie Moores
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Dear Charlie:
I would like permission to use one of your photos of the Red Warbler in a book I am writing (not about birds). I was an avid birder many years ago and saw the stunning warbler high above Lake Patzcuaro just after an unforgetable hail storm. I will, of course, acknowledge your photo.
Many thanks,
Ed Thompson
[...] Red Warbler Red Warbler Ergaticus ruber Desierto de los Leones, Mexico City. 26 March 2005 … like permission to use one of your photos of the Red Warbler in a book I am writing (not about birds).10000birds.com/red-warbler.htm [...]
Amazing photos…I’m jealous! Keep it up.
I think you have your Red Warbler subspecies a bit mixed up. The nominate “white-eared” ruber, which does indeed occur around Mexico City and covers most of the species’ range, is neither the most northerly of the 3 ssp. nor the only “white-eared” ssp. The distinction of “most northerly” goes to the “gray-eared” melanauris, which occurs north of the Tropic of Cancer in Chihuahua south to Nayarit. The southernmost subspecies, rowleyi, is identical to ruber except for more vibrant red underparts; thus, it is also “white-eared”.