Rote Leaf Warbler
Phylloscopus rotiensis
A small, very long-billed warbler with a conspicuous yellow-orange underside to bill. Note broad yellow eyebrow, dark crown with pale central stripe, olive upperparts, single faint wingbar, and extensive yellow underparts. Singles and pairs inhabit canopy in forest patches and woodlands at all altitudes. Unusually for leaf warblers, regularly probes bark for insects. Restricted to Rote, where it is the only regular leaf warbler. Exceptionally long bill, central crown stripe, weak single wingbar, and yellow-flushed underside separate it from Arctic and Kamchatka Leaf Warblers. Calls similar to those of other regional leaf warblers. Song is a high-pitched, rising and falling warble, “chit-swee-swer-swoo.” Also gives a disyllabic “tchewit” call.
Identification
The Rote leaf warbler (Phylloscopus rotiensis) is a species of passerine bird in the family Phylloscopidae. It is endemic to Rote Island in Indonesia's Lesser Sunda Islands, where it lives in primary deciduous forest and secondary forest. It is genetically highly distinct from other leaf warblers in the region, and it may be the first bird species to be described partly on the basis of genome-wide data. It can be phenotypically distinguished from other species by its coloration and the length of its bill, which is far longer than that of most other Asian leaf warblers. This is likely an adaptation to the dry climate of Rote Island. However, despite its heavy morphological and genetic divergence from other island leaf warblers, it has little vocal differentiation from them. Due to heavy agricultural use on Rote Island for many years, only two major forest areas remain that can sustain this species. Thus, this species likely qualifies for Vulnerable under the IUCN Red List qualifications.
Taxonomy
Genus: Phylloscopus; Family: Phylloscopidae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Phylloscopus rotiensis
- Authority
- Ng, NSR, Prawiradilaga, Ng, EYX, Suparno, Ashari, Trainor, Verbelen & Rheindt, 2018
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Phylloscopidae
- Genus
- Phylloscopus
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Bird Calls
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