Desert Whitethroat - Taxonomy

Taxonomy

Three subspecies are currently recognised, though some authors only accept the first two as distinct.

• Sylvia minula minula (syn. S. m. chuancheica). Western half of the species' range.
• Sylvia minula jaxartica (included in S. m. minula by some authors). Central part of the species' range.
• Sylvia minula margelanica. Eastern half of the species' range.

The presumed Lesser Whitethroat subspecies halimodendri and telengitica might actually belong to the Desert Whitethroat, or alternatively might represent hybrid intergrades between, respectively, S. m. jaxartica and S. m. margelanica and the Lesser Whitethroat.