Malta's new breeding birds : Cetti's warbler and the Fan-tailed warbler

Abstract

Many bird species have become extinct, others have been exterminated from whole countries, while others have become endangered. This sad state of affairs has been brought about mainly by gross human interference rather than by natural causes. However certain species, sometimes inexplicably, increase their numbers and extend their breeding ranges. Two palearctic species which have done so in recent years and reached Malta's shores are the Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti and the Fan-tailed Warbler Cisticoa juncidis. Both species have established themselves as Malta's breeding birds in the past decade during which period they have been colonizing successfully new areas.