Al Ain, Abu Dhabi

There is some debate about the systematics of this species. Some authorities such as Clements and HBW regarded it as a species while Howard & Moore treat it as a sub-species of Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca minula). The HBW and Birdlife International checklist now also treat it as a sub-species of Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca minula.