67. Cetti’s Warbler

Cetti’s Warbler is not a rare bird, yet it is not often seen. That’s because it’s small, brown and shy, skulking in thick vegetation, where it also builds its nest, safe from predators. The bird was named after Francesco Cetti, an 18th century Italian naturalist, but you would be forgiven for thinking it was named for its loud ‘chet-CHEtti-CHEtti-CHEtti’ call. For all its shyness, Cetti’s Warbler (M: Bufula tal-iMrewha) has a very loud call, and a walk down an overgrown valley may reward you with the bird's characteristic short burst of chatter. The species wasn't always common in Malta - BirdLife only logged the first local nest in 1970, in Buskett. But since then the bird never looked back and today it is spread over much of the country, especially west and north.

Text by Victor Falzon, photo by Aron Tanti.

Copyright to Birdlife Malta.