First British records of ‘Eastern’ and ‘Western’ Subalpine Warblers

Abstract

• The recent proposal to reorganise the taxonomy of the Subalpine Warbler complex, and the identification of the first British ‘Subalpine Warbler’ (St Kilda, June 1894) as a Moltoni’s Warbler, led the BOU to review other early records and determine the first British records of both Eastern and Western Subalpine Warblers. DNA analysis together with morphological criteria showed that the first Eastern Subalpine Warbler was shot on Fair Isle in May 1908 and the first Western Subalpine Warbler on the Isle of May in May 1924.