Blyth's Leaf Warbler

Phylloscopus reguloides

Fairly bright mid-sized leaf-warbler, yellowish-green above and white below with two wingbars, a broad yellow-suffused eyebrow, and a pale stripe across a gray crown. Amount of white in the tail is intermediate between White-tailed Leaf-Warbler and Emei Leaf-Warbler. A brighter crown stripe separates Blyth’s from the Emei, and unique behavior serves to distinguish this species from White-tailed: Blyth’s constantly flicks wings one after the other, while White-tailed flicks them simultaneously. Kloss’s Leaf-Warbler is much brighter overall, especially on the head and vent. Hartert’s and Claudia’s Leaf-Warblers are closely related, physically similar, and may pose issues in areas of overlap: look out for a more yellowish breast on Hartert’s and a whiter eyebrow and less white in the tail in Claudia’s. Blyth’s song is a high “tsi-tsslehlee-tsslehlee” or “tsi-tchew-witty-tchew-witty-tchew,” with the introductory note separating it from Hartert’s but not always Claudia’s. Breeds in broadleaf (often oak), coniferous, or mixed forests at middle to high elevations, and descends into lower foothill regions in the winter.

Identification

Blyth's leaf warbler (Phylloscopus reguloides) is a species of leaf warbler (family Phylloscopidae). It was formerly included in the "Old World warbler" assemblage. It is found mainly in Southeast Asia, southern China and along the Himalayas till northern Pakistan. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. This bird was named after the English zoologist Edward Blyth. In regard to its birdsong complexity, which takes into account the number of distinct notes, Blyth leaf warbler's high complexity is a consequence of increased variation between song types.

Taxonomy

Genus: Phylloscopus; Family: Phylloscopidae; Order: Passeriformes.

Scientific name
Phylloscopus reguloides
Authority
(Blyth, 1842)
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Phylloscopidae
Genus
Phylloscopus

Range and habitat

Migration
Vertical migration

Behavior

Migration pattern: Vertical migration.

Conservation

Population trend: stable.

Population trend
stable

Photos

Distribution

Bird Calls

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