Greenish warbler facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Greenish warbler
nominate race P. trochiloides trochiloides adult from Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary, Sikkim, India
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Subspecies
5, and see text
Range of P. trochiloides     Breeding      Passage      Non-breeding

The Greenish Warbler (scientific name: Phylloscopus trochiloides) is a small bird found across a large area. It lives and raises its young in northeastern Europe and many parts of Asia. This bird is a type of leaf warbler, known for its active behavior among leaves.

Greenish Warblers are migratory birds. This means they travel long distances. They spend their winters in India. Sometimes, these birds are seen in Western Europe during spring or early autumn. They are called "vagrants" because they are usually not found there. A few pairs even stay to breed in places like Germany some years.

The name Phylloscopus comes from ancient Greek words. Phullon means "leaf," and skopos means "seeker." So, it means "leaf-seeker." The word trochiloides means "resembling" the Willow Warbler. This is because they look quite similar.

What Does a Greenish Warbler Look Like?

The Greenish Warbler looks like a typical leaf warbler. It has grayish-green feathers on its back and off-white feathers underneath. Most Greenish Warblers have a single light bar on their wings. This helps tell them apart from other similar birds.

This bird is a bit smaller than the Arctic Warbler. It also has a thinner beak. Its song is a high, quick trill. Sometimes, it includes notes that go up and down.

Where Do Greenish Warblers Live?

Greenish Warblers usually breed in forests. These can be forests with trees that lose their leaves (deciduous) or mixed forests. During the summer, some birds that don't breed might move to mountain areas. For example, birds from the Himalayas are often seen in Bhutan. They live in humid fir forests high up in the mountains. But they don't breed there. They return to warmer lowlands in winter.

The Greenish Warbler builds its nest on the ground. It hides the nest in low shrubs. Like other small passerine birds, it eats insects.

Different Types of Greenish Warblers

The Greenish Warbler has several different types, called subspecies. One common subspecies in Europe is P. t. viridianus. It's interesting because these birds are like a "ring species." This means populations changed as they spread around the Tibetan Plateau. They then met again on the other side. This makes their family tree a bit complicated.

Here are some of the main groups:

• Eastern Group: Greenish Warblers
  • Phylloscopus trochiloides trochiloides: This is the main type of Greenish Warbler.
    • Found along the southern edge of the Himalayas, from Nepal to western China.
    • They are dusky grayish-green on top. They sometimes have faint signs of a second wing bar.
  • Phylloscopus trochiloides obscuratus: This type is called the dull-green warbler.
    • It looks like a mix between trochiloides and the Two-barred Warbler.
    • Found in Gansu and nearby areas in China.

• Western Group: Green Warblers
  • Phylloscopus trochiloides viridanus: This is the western greenish warbler.
    • It breeds from Western Siberia to northeastern Europe. In the east, its range goes south to northwestern India.
    • It is dull green on top. It has yellowish markings above its eyes, on its throat, and chest. It also has a faint wing bar.

The different types of Greenish Warblers likely started in the Himalayan region. The trochiloides type is found there. It is closely related to obscuratus. These two types can sometimes breed together. Another type, plumbeitarsus, is often considered a separate species. This is because it does not breed with viridianus where their ranges meet.

The songs of these birds also differ. The Greenish Warbler has a long, warbling song. Near the Himalayas, the songs are similar but shorter. The Two-barred Warbler, which used to be considered the same species, has a song with two clear parts. One part is warbling, followed by notes that go up and down. The songs of obscuratus and ludlowi are short. They also have the down-slur notes. In ludlowi, these notes appear at the very beginning of the song.

Images for kids

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  Greenish Warbler P.trochiloides from Anamalai Hills, Southern Western Ghats, India

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  Western greenish warbler, P. (t.) viridianus

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  Presumed evolution around Himalayas. Yellow: P. t. trochiloides, Orange: P. t. obscuratus, Red: P. t. plumbeitarsus, Green: P. t. ludlowi, Blue: P. t. viridanus. P. t. nitidus of the Caucasus is not shown.