Green-crowned Warbler
Phylloscopus burkii
Medium-sized warbler with green upperparts, yellow underparts, a bright yellow eyering, and a gray crown bound by two black stripes. Extremely similar to several closely related species; luckily, range prevents much confusion throughout these species’ natural ranges. Primary confusion species is Whistler’s Warbler, from which it may be distinguished visually, albeit with significant difficulty. In Green-crowned, note weak break at rear of eye-ring (while the eyering of Whistler’s is thickest at the back end), longer and more slender bill, shorter tail, more solidly black crown stripes, and slightly brighter green upperparts. As with many physically similar species, using a combination of these field marks is preferable in identification. Active, frequently flitting about in the lower levels of forest, sometimes associating with foraging flocks. Breeds in both evergreen and deciduous broadleaved forest in hilly and montane areas; moves to lowland areas in the winter. Averages lower than Whistler’s Warbler in altitudinal breeding preference, and overlap is fairly minimal. Song is a strung-together series of ringing “witchy-witchy-witchy” or “tzewee-tzewee-tzewee” phrases, and unlike song of Whistler’s, includes jumbled trilling segments. Call is a short, succinct “wit wit!”.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Phylloscopus burkii
- Authority
- (Burton, E, 1836)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Phylloscopidae
- Genus
- Phylloscopus
Range and habitat
- Breeding range
- OR : Himalayas
- Non-breeding range
- n India
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Black Crake
Zapornia flavirostra
A small, pudgy, blackish waterbird with reddish eyes, a yellowish bill, and diagnostic pink-red legs. The immature is browner, with duller legs and bill. It scuttles along the edges of swamps and other water bodies, preferring reedbeds and emergent vegetation to forage on, sometimes quite boldly. Like most crakes, it walks tentatively with its head lowered, picking and probing for insects, plant matter, and other food. The distinctive call is an odd, wheezy bubbling and chattering “cheeew-t-t-t-t treeew, t-t-t-t-t-treew”.
Rufous Fishing-Owl
Scotopelia ussheri
A round-headed, tawny-cinnamon fishing-owl with lightly streaked underparts and a dark beak with a yellow base. It is shy, and its day roosts are well hidden in tangles and thickets along rivers in lowland primary, swamp, and flooded forests. The call is a low dove-like “ooooo” that can be confused with the call of the nocturnal White-crested Tiger-Heron. The similar Pel’s Fishing-Owl is larger and rustier, especially on the underparts, and is covered in spots, bars, and chevrons, not streaks. Vermiculated Fishing-Owl has an entirely yellow bill and its underparts are more heavily streaked.
Rock Pipit
Anthus petrosus
Plumage relatively dull and dark: grayish brown to grayish above with weak darker streaking; dingy whitish below with heavy and rather blurry dark streaking. Also note the dark legs (pink on smaller and buffier Meadow Pipit, which often occurs in coastal grassland adjacent to Rock Pipits). Song is a bland, repetitive, high-pitched series, often accelerating towards the end. Call a high, lisping, slightly harsh "ssiip", very similar to that of Water Pipit. Like other pipits, walks strongly and often pumps its tail a little. Found along rocky coasts; infrequent inland. Often seen on rocks and adjacent areas with short grass.
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