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Three Migratory Warblers Showed Distinct Wing Shapes on Antikythera

Common whitethroat perched with a beetle in its beak
Research · Anatomy & morphology

A field study on the Greek island of Antikythera found clear differences in wing morphology among three migratory warblers: garden warbler (Sylvia borin), Eurasian blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) and common whitethroat (Curruca communis). Researchers measured 117 birds during autumn migration in 2022 and combined standard biometrics with geometric morphometrics, a landmark-based method for comparing the overall shape of an extended wing.

The three species differed clearly in wing shape

Garden warblers had the longest mean wings, the largest mean wing area and the highest mean aspect ratio of the three species. Aspect ratio describes how long and narrow a wing is relative to its area: higher values generally favour efficient sustained flight. Blackcaps had shorter, rounder wings, while common whitethroats were intermediate in overall wing shape. Wing shape alone assigned more than 96% of specimens to the correct species in cross-validation, showing how clearly the three forms differed.

Geometric morphometric comparison of wing shape in garden warbler, blackcap and common whitethroat
Geometric morphometric comparison of wing shape in garden warbler, Eurasian blackcap and common whitethroat. Figure 4 from Agtzidis et al. (2026), Birds, CC BY 4.0. Source.

The linear measurements showed the same broad pattern. Mean wing length was about 8.1 cm in garden warblers, 7.7 cm in blackcaps and 7.5 cm in common whitethroats. Mean aspect ratio was 6.03, 5.77 and 5.49 respectively. The common whitethroat nevertheless had a more pointed wingtip than the blackcap in the geometric analysis.

Wing shape reflected a trade-off in flight performance

The authors interpret the differences as consistent with a trade-off between aerodynamic efficiency and manoeuvrability. Garden warblers showed traits associated with sustained long-distance flight, blackcaps showed traits associated with manoeuvrability in structurally complex habitats, and common whitethroats occupied an intermediate position. They also note that ecological variables were not measured directly in this study, so these functional interpretations are based on the species’ known natural history rather than on an experimental test of the underlying selective pressures.

Sources and image credit

  1. Agtzidis, A., Barboutis, C., & Giokas, S. (2026). Wing shape and size variation in migratory sylviid warblers: Links to ecology and migration. Birds, 7(1), 18. https://doi.org/10.3390/birds7010018Primary open-access research article published 5 March 2026. The study measured 117 warblers during autumn migration on Antikythera: 47 garden warblers, 40 Eurasian blackcaps and 30 common whitethroats. Geometric morphometrics showed significant wing-shape differences among all three species.

Image: Alexis Lours — common whitethroat (Curruca communis) with a beetle in its beak at Herblay-sur-Seine, Val-d’Oise, France, photographed 25 May 2025; Wikimedia Commons; representative image of one of the three study species, not a bird measured on Antikythera · CC BY 4.0 · Source

About this content: This story was produced with AI assistance within an editorial workflow developed by Wildlife Vagabond. Editorial responsibility remains with Wildlife Vagabond.How AI is used

Anatomy & morphology

SPECIES IN THIS STORY

Species in this story

Common Whitethroat Curruca communis Explore species Garden Warbler Sylvia borin Explore species Eurasian Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla Explore species

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