Scientific name: Hippolais pallida (Ehrenberg, 1833)
Bird group: Warblers
Field characters. 13 cm. A pale brown to grey warbler, somewhat resembling Garden Warbler (but smaller and more slender), Reed Warbler (but with longer bill with yellow instead of orange base, greyer, almost black-looking eye and white on outer tail feathers) and Booted Warbler (but larger, with longer and stouter bill with all-pale lower mandible and no or only faint supercilium behind eye). No obvious field marks. Supercilium indistinct and whitish, wing panel indistinct or absent. Frequently 'pumps' tail while feeding or calling (while calling is characteristic). Shy, hiding in foliage. The eastern and western forms of the Olivaceous Warbler are sometimes treated as full species. The upperparts of the eastern form elaeica are slightly greener than the more brownish western form opaca; the latter also is slightly larger. A recent study indicates that this species should probably be placed in the genus Acrocephalus.
Voice. Calls short and subdued 'chack' or 'chrr'. Song hurried and warbling, resembling Reed Warbler, but mellower.
Distribution. Rare and local in western part of range, more common in east.
Habitat. Variety of half open habitats with plenty of dense shrub or trees, like gardens, orchards, river banks, etc.
Food. Insects and berries. Feeds in dense cover.