Evidence of northward range expansion: new record of Curruca melanocephala (Gmelin, 1789) (Passeriformes, Sylviidae) in Serbia

The Sardinian Warbler, Curruca melanocephala (Gmelin, 1789), a typically Mediterranean species, is only occasionally recorded in continental parts of the Balkans. This note presents the fourth national record and the earliest seasonal observation of this species from Serbia. An adult male was photo-documented near Niš in March 2025. The individual was recorded in dense shrub vegetation adjacent to a wet meadow. This find may reflect a broader pattern of vagrancy or northward range expansion into continental parts of the Balkans.