Feeding Garden warbler

the common fig popular food prior migration.

the garden warbler feeds on insects in breeding season, although other small invertebrates such spiders eaten. picks prey off leaves , twigs, hovering so. forages @ less 6 m (20 ft) above ground. after nesting, there genetically controlled switch fruit diet, although insects still consumed while birds fatten prior migration; birds gain weight more rapidly diet containing both fruit , insects either alone. berries , other soft fruit preferred, , figs particularly important birds preparing migrate. predilection gives rise italian beccafico (fig pecker) , portuguese felosa-das-figueiras (fig-tree warbler) names species. on diet bird can gain weight , liver increases rate @ produces fatty acids storage in adipose tissue.

in africa, warbler eats insects berries, , fruits of introduced spanish flag favourite present. increase in body mass occurs again before northward migration, birds fattening more rapidly prior southward journey. internal organs (including liver, spleen, intestines, kidneys , heart) , flight muscles lose weight during journey on sahara, although testes quadruple in mass in preparation breeding season. unlike drier-habitat species common whitethroat, leave savanna rather treeless sahel further north.

fruit picked perched bird, although there record of mulberry fruit being taken in flight. garden warblers feed conspecifics , other fruit-eating passerines. on 35 plant species have been recorded food warbler in central europe, many additional species being consumed in mediterranean region , on african wintering grounds.