Sylvia leucomelaena

The Arabian Warbler is classified as Critically Endangered (CR) because of its extremely small breeding population, which is estimated at less than 50 mature individuals. In the previous edition of the Red Book (2002), it was also classified as Critically Endangered (CR), and there has not been a dramatic change in its population since then.

Habitats	Acaicia Savanna
Presence In Israel	Resident
Nesting In Israel	Breeder
Migration Types	Resident
Zoography Zones	Sudano-Zambezian
Landscape Formations	Plains & Valleys, Wide Wadis
Vegetation Formations	Trees
Vegetation Densities	Medium
Nest Locations	Tree
Diet Types	Invertebrate
Foraging Grounds	Trees and Shrubs
Body Sizes	Small (up to 500g)
Threat Factors	Habitat Fragmentation, Drynage of Acacia Trees

The Arabian Warbler is a rare resident species in the Arava Valley. Until the early 1980s, it was a relatively common resident in all parts of the Arava Valley and occupied all the suitable habitats south of the Dead Sea in the north and down to Ein Evrona near Eilat. The population at the time was estimated at about 120 pairs (Shirihai 1996). During the last two decades, the species suffered a sharp decline in the number of pairs and its range decreased. A general survey along the Arava Valley put the current population at less than 20 pairs (Perlman et al. 2012).

Stands of large, developed acacia trees in the Arava flatlands or at the opening of wadis flowing into the valley.

The range of the Arabian Warbler is limited to small areas on both sides of the Red Sea. The local subspecies S. l. negevensis is endemic to the Arava Valley in Israel and Jordan.

The major threats facing the Arabian Warbler are habitat modification due to drying up of acacias in the Arava Valley, development and land reclamation for agriculture and building, as well as direct disturbance by vehicle and human traffic.

No specific conservation measures have been taken for this species to date.

The Arabian Warbler once nested in acacia stands along the entire Arava Valley. During the past three decades, its population size decreased due to the drying up of acacia trees in the Arava, reduction of natural areas because of agriculture and development, and direct human disturbance. The current breeding population is fragmented and limited to a small number of acacia stands. The population on the Jordanian side of the valley is apparently larger. The population in the Israeli and Jordanian Arava Valley belongs to an endemic subspecies, which is isolated and a few hundred kilometers distant from the nearest population, that breeds in the Arabian Peninsula.

Statutory protection of quality acacia stands against development
Protection of breeding areas from disturbance by hikers and vehicles

• פז, ע. 1986. עופות. מתוך אלון, ע. (עורך), החי והצומח של ארץ ישראל. כרך 6. הוצאת משרד הביטחון, ישראל.
• פרלמן, י., שוחט, א. ולבינגר, ז. 2009. סקר אטלס ציפורים בערבה סיכום שנת 2009. דו"ח מרכז הצפרות של החברה להגנת הטבע.

• Perlman, Y., Shochat, E. and Labinger, Z. 2011. Developing Managment plan for important bird areas in southern Israel. second annual report, Nizzana region and Arava Valley.Israeli Ornithological center, SPNI.
• Shirihai, H., 1996. The Birds of Israel. Academic Press, London.
• Symes, A. 2013. Species generation lengths. Unpublished, BirdLife International.
• Species page at Birdlife International