Tickell's leaf warbler facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tickell's leaf warbler |
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The Tickell's leaf warbler (Phylloscopus affinis) is a small, active bird found in parts of Asia. You can spot it in countries like Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, and Thailand. This warbler has a yellowish belly and a yellow stripe above its eye, called a supercilium. Like other leaf warblers, it mainly eats insects. It catches them by picking them off leaves or by making short, quick flights to snatch them in the air.
This bird loves to move around, often staying in the tops of trees or in low bushes. It can be tricky to watch because it moves so quickly from branch to branch, even exploring the underside of leaves and twigs! You can tell it apart from similar birds by its clear yellowish underside and the lack of a special mark on its wing. It has thin, dark legs, a mostly pale lower beak, and grayish feathers on its wings.
How Scientists Name and Group This Bird
Scientists give every living thing a special two-part name, like a first and last name, so everyone around the world knows exactly which creature they are talking about. This is called a binomial name. The Tickell's leaf warbler was first officially described in 1833 by an English bird expert named Samuel Tickell. He gave it the name Motacilla offinis, but the spelling was later corrected to affinis.
Today, the Tickell's leaf warbler belongs to a group of about 80 different species in a genus called Phylloscopus. This genus name comes from Ancient Greek words: phullon means "leaf," and skopos means "seeker." So, Phylloscopus means "leaf seeker," which makes sense for a bird that explores leaves! The second part of its name, affinis, is Latin for "related" or "allied."
Different Types of Tickell's Leaf Warblers
Scientists recognize three slightly different types, or subspecies, of the Tickell's leaf warbler:
- P. a. affinis: This type is found in the eastern Himalayas, from Nepal to southeast Tibet.
- P. a. perflavus: This type lives in the western Himalayas, from Pakistan to northern India.
- P. a. occisinensis: This type is found in west-central China.
The P. a. occisinensis subspecies was once thought to be its own separate species, called the Alpine leaf warbler. However, a study in 2019 looked closely at the DNA of these birds. Based on what they found, scientists now group it together with the Tickell's leaf warbler.
Life Cycle and Breeding
During the months of May to August, the Tickell's leaf warbler builds its nest. It uses dry grasses and plant fibers to create a cozy home. These birds prefer to breed among rocks and low bushes in mountains where there isn't much tree cover.
