# Somali crombec (Sylvietta isabellina)

> The Somali crombec: a small African warbler of dry shrubland, its range, the subspecies named after the Maharaja of Baroda, and its records across Somali regions since 1896.

Source page: https://calankii.com/en/nature/somali-crombec/
Last checked: 2026-11-13
Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com)

## In short

The Somali crombec (*Sylvietta isabellina*) is an African warbler. It was once placed in the Old World warbler family, Sylviidae, and now sits in the family Macrosphenidae ([GBIF Backbone Taxonomy](https://www.gbif.org/species/2493543); [Wikipedia, Somali crombec, backup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somali_crombec)). It is found in Ethiopia, Kenya, [Somalia and Tanzania](/en/relations/tanzania/), and its natural habitat is dry tropical shrubland ([IUCN Red List, *Sylvietta isabellina*, 2016](https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22715135A94441675.en)).

Elliot described it in 1897 ([GBIF Backbone Taxonomy](https://www.gbif.org/species/2493543)).

## The Baroda subspecies

The ornithologist Richard Bowdler Sharpe described a subspecies, *gaekwari*, named after Sayajirao Gaekwad III, the Maharaja of Baroda in India. It is now considered the same as the main form ([Hartert, "Types of birds in the Tring Museum", Biodiversity Heritage Library](https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/3479609); [British Museum, *History of the collections*, vol. 2](https://archive.org/stream/historyofcollect02brit#page/355/mode/1up)).

## What the record shows

More than half of its 39 shared records from Somalia are museum specimens, the oldest from 1896. Records that name a region come mostly from [Togdheer](/en/regions/togdheer/) and [Woqooyi Galbeed](/en/regions/woqooyi-galbeed/), with a few from [Hiiraan](/en/regions/hiiraan/), Banadir and Lower [Juba](/en/economy/farming-and-harvests/) (see records below).

## Records in Somali lands

The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) holds 39 records of the Somali crombec from Somalia, dated from 1896 to 2025 ([GBIF occurrence search, Somalia](https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?country=SO&taxon_key=2493543)). By type: 21 museum specimens, 17 sightings by people, 1 other record.

Records that name a region (19 of 39), by region: Togdheer 9, Woqooyi Galbeed 6, Hiiraan 2, Banadir (Mogadishu) 1, Lower Juba 1 (same source).

The oldest dated record is a museum specimen from 1896, from a place recorded as "Le Gud", held by the Field Museum, Chicago ([GBIF record 668178078](https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/668178078)).

The newest dated record is a sighting by a person from 2025, from Togdheer, held by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (eBird) ([GBIF record 6661954295](https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/6661954295)).

GBIF only holds what museums, scientists and observers have shared, so the counts show where the animal or plant has been recorded, not its full range.

## Red List status

The IUCN Red List category for the Somali crombec is **Least Concern** ([IUCN Red List assessment](https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22715135A94441675.en); [GBIF species page](https://www.gbif.org/species/2493543)).

## Classification

| Rank | Name |
|---|---|
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Passeriformes |
| Family | Macrosphenidae |
| Genus | Sylvietta |
| Species | *Sylvietta isabellina* |

Scientific name with author: *Sylvietta isabellina* Elliot, 1897 ([GBIF Backbone Taxonomy](https://www.gbif.org/species/2493543)).

## Related pages

- [Birds of Somalia](/en/nature/birds-of-somalia/)

## Sources

- [IUCN Red List assessment](https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22715135A94441675.en)
- [GBIF species page](https://www.gbif.org/species/2493543)
- [GBIF occurrence records, Somalia](https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?country=SO&taxon_key=2493543)
- [Biodiversity Heritage Library, Types of birds in the Tring Museum](https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/3479609)
- [Wikipedia (backup)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somali_crombec)

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