Yellow-browed warbler facts for kids
The yellow-browed warbler (Phylloscopus inornatus) is a tiny songbird. It belongs to a group called leaf warblers. This bird is known for the bright yellow stripe above its eye, which looks like an eyebrow!
These warblers live in the eastern part of Asia during the breeding season. When winter comes, they fly long distances to warmer places. They mostly spend winter in sunny, tropical areas of South Asia and South-east Asia. Some even travel all the way to western Europe.
For a long time, scientists thought there were different types (subspecies) of yellow-browed warblers. But now, they mostly agree that the yellow-browed warbler is just one species. There is a very similar bird called Hume's leaf warbler, which used to be considered the same. However, scientists found small differences in how they look, sound, and even their DNA. So, they are now seen as two separate species.
Quick facts for kids Yellow-browed warbler |
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| An adult yellow-browed warbler in Hong Kong (China). Notice the yellow stripe above its eye and the wing patterns. | |
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| Where the yellow-browed warbler lives: Breeding areas Migration routes Wintering areas | |
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Regulus inornatus Blyth, 1842 |
Contents
What Does a Yellow-Browed Warbler Look Like?
This warbler is one of the smaller birds in its family. It is about 9.5 to 11 centimeters (about 4 inches) long. It weighs only 4 to 9 grams, which is less than a small coin!
Like many other leaf warblers, it has greenish feathers on its back and white feathers on its belly. It has two clear yellowish-white stripes on its wings. These stripes are made by the tips of its wing feathers. It also has bright yellow edges on some of its flight feathers. The most noticeable feature is its long, yellow stripe above each eye, which looks like a bright eyebrow. Some birds might also have a faint lighter green stripe on the top of their head.
How Does This Bird Behave?
The yellow-browed warbler is not a shy bird. However, it can be hard to spot because it lives high up in trees. It is almost always moving, flitting from branch to branch.
Its song is a high-pitched mix of whistles. Its call is very loud for such a small bird. It often sounds like "tseeweest."
It can sometimes be confused with Hume's leaf warbler. Hume's warbler has duller colors and a less clear second wing stripe. It also has darker legs. The best way to tell them apart is by their calls and songs. Hume's warbler has a more chirping "chwee" call. The yellow-browed warbler is also different from Pallas's warbler. Pallas's warbler has a very clear yellow stripe on its head and a yellow patch on its back, which the yellow-browed warbler does not have.
Where Do Yellow-Browed Warblers Live?
These birds are very common in many places. They live in forests and woodlands, both in lowlands and on mountains. In winter, they can also be found in more open woods.
Their breeding areas stretch from the Ural Mountains in Russia all the way east to Siberia, Mongolia, and Northeast China. When winter arrives, they fly south. Their winter homes are in lowland forests. These areas include places like West Bengal and Assam in northeastern India. They also winter through southern China to Taiwan, and down to the Malay Peninsula. In summer, they can be found high up in mountains, sometimes over 2,400 meters (about 8,000 feet) high. In winter, they stay at lower altitudes, up to 1,525 meters (about 5,000 feet).
In recent years, the number of yellow-browed warblers breeding in Europe has grown. In the 1950s, they were quite rare there. But by 1990, there were many more, with tens of thousands of breeding pairs.
Migration and Wintering in Europe
A small number of yellow-browed warblers regularly spend winter in western Europe. These birds likely come from the western parts of their breeding range. They arrive in places like Great Britain in late September and October. This journey is about 3,000 to 3,500 kilometers (about 1,800 to 2,200 miles). This is much shorter than the 5,500 to 6,000 kilometers (about 3,400 to 3,700 miles) they would fly to reach their usual wintering spots in southeastern Asia.
Scientists used to think these birds were just lost. But now, they believe these warblers are making a regular migration. They can survive the mild winters in western Europe because of the warm ocean climate. We don't know exactly how many birds do this. However, hundreds are seen arriving in Great Britain each autumn. Since they are hard to spot, the real number is probably much higher.
What Do Yellow-Browed Warblers Eat?
Like most warblers, these birds are insectivorous. This means they mostly eat insects. They are very good at finding tiny bugs in the leaves and branches of trees.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Yellow-browed warblers build their nests in thick plants. They often choose the base of a tree or an old tree stump. The female bird usually lays two to four eggs, but sometimes more. The eggs hatch after 11 to 14 days. The baby birds, called chicks, are ready to leave the nest when they are 12 to 13 days old.
Conservation Status
The yellow-browed warbler is a common bird across its wide range. Because of this, the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) does not consider it to be an endangered species. This means it is not currently at risk of disappearing.
