Sichuan Leaf Warblers
Introduction
photos unless specified Sid Francis
After the recent lumping of the seicurcus warbler group (golden-spectacled complex) into Phylloscopus, there are now 23 leaf warblers that are regularly seen in Sichuan - 21 of them breeding birds, while Pallas's and Yellow-browed are common passage and winter visitors. There are other possible visitors/vagrants, like passage two-barred, and gansu might be found as a breeding bird in the NW corner of Sichuan, but this text will concentrate on those a visiting birder are most likely to see.
Identifying leaf warblers.
A few leaf warblers have such characteristic and unique plumages - sulphur-breasted and chestnut-crowned being examples - that identification becomes relatively simple. However most others are very similar, and it's not helpful that species are often shy skulkers or fast-moving canopy species. When a bird doesn't show well, typical distinguishing features, like wing-bars, coronal stripes or rump patch, can be difficult to determine, especially when viewing from below or encountering a worn bird. Modern taxonomy has recently lumped a grouping of Sichuanese leaf warblers, the former seicurcus birds (Golden-spectacled complex), into Phyloscopus. However, when split there are obvious general plumage differences, with the old Phylloscopus species sporting mainly dull green plumages, contrasting with the with the brighter greens, yellows and eye-rings of the former Seicurcus. However, from that initial stage further separation into individual species can be a lot tougher. Remember that many of the plumage characteristics described in field-guides are from nicely plumaged individuals, where authors may have based descriptions on data from specimens or birds in the hand.
Here are a few tips that I think can make the job of identification a little easier.
1) Habitat and altitude - Sichuan leaf warblers are found in habitats ranging from 500m ASL lowlands of the Sichuan basin to mountain scrub at over 4000m - distinct habitat zones, where in breeding season certain species can be expected to found and others definitely not. Highest is Tickell's, while lowland breeding species are Sulphur-breasted and Kloss's. Knowing where to expect to find a particular species is an important piece of the identification jigsaw.
Sulphur-breasted in typical low level deciduous forest habitat - Dujiangyan.700m Tickell's photographed at 4,100m on Balang
2) Bills and the bird's size - the typical leaf warblers that show wing-bars can be split into two groups - the small species, typified by Sichuan, but also Ashy-throated, Buff-barred, Chinese, Hume's, Pallas's and Yellow-browed and the larger species, well represented by Claudia's but also including Emei, Greenish, Large-billed, Kloss's, Sulphur-breasted. Apart from size these two groupings have different bill forms - the small species small delicate bills that appear dark in most field observations, while the larger group sport much larger, chunkier bill types, some with very noticeable yellow/orange under mandibles. In the field. Bill size/form can be a less variable feature than plumage, and doesnt radically change with wear. It can also be a useful first identification lead..So important are bills, that it's often one the first features I focus on. Bills can also be important in photos, where small features can be easily studied - they serve as a useful ways of seperating hume's and yellow-browed (black bill vs. bill with yellow base to lower mandible) and buff-throated vs. tickell's (black bill vs.yellow lower mandible).
.
Sichuan - typical small warbler, typical small bill Kloss's - typical big warbler, big bill/orange lower mandible
4) wing-bars, coronal-stripes, rumps and outer tail-feathers - visiting birders are often fixated on wing-bars. Although useful identification features, plumage variation, especially with worn or moulting birds, means they can sometimes lead you down a bit of a garden path. However, seeing if your bird is a wing-bar or no wing-bar species is obviously useful as an initial identification pointer. Excluding the old Seicucus species, four of our regular Sichuan birds - Buff-throated, Tickell's, Dusky and Yellow-streaked lack wing-bars, and it's an easy to see feature. Normal identification procedure of course includes checking for one or two wing-bars, but note, birds having worn or aberrant type plumage might not be showing a text book type wing-bar pattern - typical being two wing-bar species only showing one. Likewise rump patches and coronal stripes vs.full-cap are also important for identification - big light coloured rumps and you're onto a sichuan or chinese (in winter or passage, pallas's), a full cap, without the slightest hint of a crown stripe, is a feature of greenish. White-outer tail feathers, which the bird regularly splays, and a clear feature in flight,, are an excellent feature of Buff-barred Warbler. Likewise, ashy-throated also has light coloured outers but tiny size, yellow undeparts and slaty coloured throat also make this one of the easier to ID warblers.
Greenish has a classic full cap without even the slightest hint of a crown stripe - while Claudia's has a very pronounced one that is most visible at the back of the crown
5) Season - most are summer breeding visitors. While the majority of visiting birders are coming during the same season, its important to note that early May will still see the backend of spring passage, and that winter visitors, most notably Pallas's and Yellow-browed are still possible, while rarer passage species could occur. But it can be fairly safe to assume that birds seen in heart of breeding season are a breeding species and in the middle of winter its usually a Pallas's.
.
Pallas's is largely a winter visitor to Sichuan Most Sichuan leaf warblers are summer breeding migrants - eastern crowned with nesting material, NE Sichuan
6) Photos - If there was ever a group of Sichuan species where record shots are useful ID aids, then leaf warblers are those birds. With photos it's often useful to focus on detail, which is particularly true for the really cryptic species - small detail difficult or impossible to see in the field, sometimes a feature not illustrated in a field- guide and best compared with other photos. In this respect, Ebird is a very good identification resource, Again bills are useful, with close ups often being illuminating. Wing-bars, rumps and coronal stripes can be difficult to analyse on fast moving birds, but far better seen in the frozen movement of a photo, while tiny features, like eye-ring breaks, can only be distinguished through photography. A word of warning - although photography is a great aid, photo artefact can throw up certain problems, especially in determining if a bird has a coronal stripe. Some of my photos sometimes give a light fringe or bloom to a warblers crown, giving the impression of a coronal stripe - which in fact is just artefact on solid capped birds like greenish.
two-barred, rare Sichuan recording, with ID from photo Bill differences can best be seen in photos - yellow-browed yellow base, hume's black
7) Habit - the birds habits can also be a useful indicator to identification. Prehaps the most obvious is Claudia's which has the unique habit of lifting one wing at a time (see photo above). Another is Buff-barred that splays its tail to show those two white outer tail feathers. Feeding can also be distinctive - a hyperactive bird hovering to glean tiny insects from leaves is often a pallas's - which is obvious in winter but useful in spring when you are trying to sort from other species.
Pallas's leaf gleaning, note rump Claudia's caught as it makes its charateristic single wing lift
The foolproof method - songs and calls
When birds are very similar in plumage, and co-exist in overlapping habitat, then differences in song and call may emphasise speciation and act as a tool to help prevent hybridization. This is the case with most leaf-warblers - for example two similar looking species like Sichuan and Chinese have vastly different vocalizations, which not only helps preserve genetic lineage, but also gives birders the ultimate Identification aid. Unfortunately the same is not true of the old seicurcus group - that are mostly both very similar in plumage and only subtly different (do they trill or not) in song.
Next are notes the 23 most commonly seen of Sichuan leaf warblers (see index), with brief mention of what I consider the most salient ID features, with links to their vocalizations. These are a mix of links to my own recordings, I've placed on iNaturalist, and those found on xeno-canto.
Ashy-throated Warbler Phylloscopus maculipennis photos Sid Francis
Very small - yellow underside (can be worn/faint) - grey face/throat (can be faint) - splays tail, light (yellow) outers - - small bill one of the smaller warblers - coronal stripe and wing bar but not the most distinctive features.
Similar species - Buff-barred also splays tail but with pure white outers - can overlap habitat but generally buff-barred breeds higher - yellow undersides and grey face are usually enough to make an easy distinction
Habitat - typical mixed middle altitude forest from around 2000 to 3000m
Vocalizations - indistinct high pitched single note call - has song but can be difficult to hear with no good recordings of Chinese birds on xeno-canto
Call here Sid Francis iNaturalist
Buff-barred Warbler Phylloscopus pulcher photos Sid Francis
Small with typical fine bill - like ashy-throated with tail outers - very noticeable white and tail splaying - best ID pointer. On fresh birds a wing bar with an almost orange coloured wing bar - on worn far more faded and can look almost white. Has faint coronal stripe and light rump but these are not highly distinctive features - dirtier looking underparts than most other smaller warblers.
Similar species - .most likely to confused with other small species found in same habitat, especially Sichuan, and especially when bird is worn - however lack of strong coronal stripe and rump is a clincher and of course those white outers and tail splaying.
Habitat - one of the higher warblers, at treelines at 3,500m and beyond in taller bush and shrub habitat down to 2,500m - most likely seen in bushy/shrubby/secondary growth type situations.
Vocalizations - a very distinctive short trill - slightly abrasive rather than sweet sounding. Like the outer tail feathers a very distinctive and sure ID pointer. Call single note high pitched chips - much like ashy-throated.
Song here Sid Francis iNaturalist
Buff-throated Warbler Phylloscopus subaffinis photos Sid Francis
Comparison of under mandibles - with worn plumages these species far more alike than indicated in photo
A warbler that lacks both wingbar and crown stripe, which are easy to see features. Looks like a washed out Tickell's, but has a faint buffish (yellowish) upper breast patch that can be difficult to see in the field. and best observed in photos. Resembles a Bush Warbler but less skulky, with it readily perching on open banches. It breeds far lower than tickell's, and in breeding season, where you find this bird can give the best clue to its identity.
Similar species - easily confused with a washed out Tickell's, but during breeding season Tickell's found in high Alpine habitat around the 4,000m mark, while Buff-throated breeds lower, at Wolong/Balang, down to 2,000m and then only going up to 3,100m. On passage more difficult with both species turning up in any habitat. Has a faint yellowish wash forming an upper breast patch, which differs from tickell's uniform yellow, and is best seen in photos that may also reveal a dark tip to yellow under mandible. Tickell's has an all yellow under mandible, and this difference should be a diagnostic feature, but again difficult to see in the field. Also similar to dusky but more open perching behaviour and of course doesn't give a "chick" sounding call. Yellow-streaked is also full capped and lacks wingbar but again differs from buff-throated by being more of a skulker with a very different sounding song - one that ends in a pleasant sounding trill. It also looks bigger, despite yellow in the name, no yellowish wash to any underparts (very faint yellow streaks) and a distinct whitish hint to the throat.
Habitat - a bird of open areas, liking dense tangles of bush and scrub, the type of habitat that regenerates after the old forest clearances. Habitat that can also include well vegetated (again with bushes/scrub) forest edges and marginal pasture - at Wolong/Balang we find from 2,000m to around 3,100m which seems the general range for this species.
Vocalizations - song not especially distinctive or attention drawing - repeated phrases made up of a series of 4 or 5 high pitched notes that slightly vary in pitch and length - rather similar to Tickell's but slower.. Single note call even less distinctive
Song here - xeno-canto Peter Boesman, XC916484. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/916484
Chinese Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus yunnanensis photos Nigel Goodgame
A very cryptic species that's best identified by very distinctive song/call - another small warbler, fine bill, with crown stripe, wing-bars and rump similar to Sichuan and Pallas's, but all of these features not as distinct - pictured bird looks worn showing greyer tones to nape and head but fresher birds are greener and have more of a typical sichuan look, with grey tone mainly concentrated in a band around the nape. Yellow base to bill.
Similar species - during breeding season can be confused with other small warblers with rumps and crown-stripes, especially sichuan - lack of light outer tail feathers will separate it from buff-barred.- during passage pallas's could also be confused, but its a far brighter bird and like sichuan has very well defined crown stripe and easier to see light rump. Also note, has yellow base to lower bill which will be shown on good photos (shared feature with possible Sichuan species Gansu Leaf Warbler) - Sichuan and Pallas's are all black bills.
Habitat - despite field guides giving lower elevations, in Sichuan can be found at over 3,000m (Baxi area) - otherwise prime habitat around 2,000m in mixed forest - a forest rather than a secondary growth species.
Vocalizations - by far the best means of identification - unique sounding song, a mechanical repeated single phrase, very bush warbler like but coming from high branches of a tree. Call is high pitched single note but can be used in a distinctive, unique manner where the note is repeated until it becomes a high pitched trill - this is more often heard than the mechanical song and a good way of picking up the bird.
Song here Sid Francis iNaturalist
Call here - xeno-canto Peter Boesman, XC916509. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/916509
Claudia's Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus claudiae photos Sid Francis
Larger warbler with chunky bill and very noticeable orange-yellow lower mandible - also has a unique single wing lift using alternative wings. - well defined markings, especially the head with coronal stripe.that becomes very strong at the nape. This is one of the most commonly seen warblers - can be almost abundant in prime habitat.
Similar species - field identification from Kloss's in overlap areas or on passage very difficult without vocalization, but is usually found in higher forested areas than Kloss's - however, songs are totally different. Other bigger warblers found in same habitat, like greenish, lack the distinctive crown stripe, while large-billed also lacks crown-stripe, the distinctive orange under mandible and has faint, thin wingbars rather than claudia's broad.
Habitat - a variety of forest type from around 1,500 to 3,000m - can be very common in native mixed forest at around 2,000m
Vocalizations - has a song that has a burst of high pitched notes that sounds like a slow, sweet trill - they can follow phrases that almost sound like slow tempo version marten's or bianchi's standard song phrase. Its not a very distinctive song, with confusing variations, but is loud enough to easily bring attention to a bird - from their the visual identification is more straight forward. Call can sound like sip-piyuu..
Song here Sid Francis iNaturalist
Call here xeno-canto Peter Boesman, XC916417. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/916417
Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus photos Sid Francis
Both a passage and breeding bird - usually picked up on its repeated and constant "chick" call, which assists with an easy identification - but on breeding grounds also has a song. Lacks wing-bars, it looks similar to a bush warbler - especially when typically skulky and located in low vegitation.
Similar species - superficial resemblance to other warblers without wingbars - from yellow-streaked by darker drabber plumage and general behaviour differences - skulky dusky vs.the shy. but more open perching, yellow-streaked is an initial give away - the distinctive trilling song of yellow-streaked, often the first thing that puts you onto a bird, is definitive. Buff-throated and a washed out Tickell's are also candidates for possible confusion but these birds are always brighter and open perchers - and of course neither give a tic call..
Habitat - during passage anywhere - breeding NW Sichuan - wet alpine pasture with bushes on the plateau near rivers around 3,300 m.
Vocalizations - the chick call and a song on the breeding ground that consists of a short phases of around five, rapidly repeated, high pitched notes.
Song here - xeno-canto Frank Lambert, XC161379. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/161379
Note: that there is speculation that the dusky breeding in Sichuan could belong to Smoky Warbler - but presently Sichuan birds are listed under ssp.robustus, which is still lumped with Dusky.
Eastern Crowned Warbler Phylloscopus coronatus photos Sid Francis
A species on the western edge of its range, not commonly reported on Sichuan lists - we have found breeding in NE Sichuan, and there are reports from throughout Sichuan Province. A large warbler with very chunky bill with large yellow under mandible, a very strongly defined supercilium and thin single wingbar that almost gives it appearance of a "no-wingbar" species - but not a very distinctive bird if it's not singing. We have found it breeding in low plantation dominated forest woodland below the 1,000m mark but other records from the rest of China are from 2,000m. This suggests potentially wide altitude range.and it could be a much under recorded species. It will also be a passage bird. Photos can really help identification - to compare bills with other crown-stripe warblers, especially kloss's and claudia's but also the faint lemon vent, clearly seen in above photo (click to enlarge), can show up far better in photography than in field views.
Similar species - Kloss's and Claudia's both with crown stripes and noticble yellow on bills are the two obvious species that could create confusion, but the far more local Emei is also a candidate. Single thin, almost invisible, wingbar of Eastern crowned combined with that that super chunky bill are its best visual field identification pointers - and of course you have very different songs with these three species.
Habitat - distribution of this species is centred in Eastern Asia - NE China being its Chinese stronghold. Recent extensive reforestation projects have used tree species, especially pines, that are native to eastern regions and the type of tree found in core breeding range, theoretically creating more attractive habit. Other northeastern species, like Zappey's Flycatcher and Grey-faced Buzzard, seem to have made a southwestern spread with this type of tree planting - maybe Eastern Crowned is following the same trend? Lower plantation type habitat is among habitat not well visited by birders, again suggesting this bird could be more widespread and plentiful.
Vocalizations - a high ptched repeated phrase of SeeHurrZiiiiii, where Ziiiiii is a kind of buzzing trill - we've found it not that strident or noticeble but very distinct when heard. Call is an indistinctive repetition of chip notes
Song here Sid Francis iNaturalist
Emei Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus emeiensis photos Sid Francis
Another very cryptic warbler, that's very difficult to field identify, with 100% certainty, by plumage from claudia's and kloss's. However, very easy when heard singing its unique and very unclaudia's/kloss's like trilling song. So cryptic is this species that It was only described and given species status through a 1995 paper, when only know locations where in the Emei/Wawu area of Sichuan. With online recordings becoming available, an increasing number of knowledgeable local birders and the increasing use of playback, the range of this species has been discovered to stretch into further provinces both north and south of Sichuan - a testament to both an increasing understanding of vocalizations and the citizen science contributions of the new breed of Chinese birders.
Similar Species - field guides give certain subtle plumage difference from main Sichuan "look-alike," Claudia's - however worn plumages and all the factors involved in trying to get good view of leaf warblers means that these are not only difficult to ascertain in the field but also rather subtle to very difficult to see in photos and plates. Our experience shows, Emei also is also found in the top altitude range of kloss's habitat - kloss's only field identified with 100% certainty from claudia's through song.
Habitat - our experience of finding this bird at Longcanggou and Erlang, shows it to inhabit a relatively narrow altitude band starting from around 1,500m and going to 2,200m - weve found good habitat to be lush forest with native evergreen broadleaf - but, inside correct altitude zone, have also found in pockets of native growth bordering or within conifer plantation. Rather local.
Vocalizations - has a slow sweet trilling song that is repeated - only leaf warbler that has anything similar is buff-barred, but that trill is scratchy, less sweet in tone and less strident. Buff-barred also breeds higher but on passage a singing bird could be found in emei habitat. Emei also has a distinctive call - a short burst of four or five notes - but as shown in xeno-canto, where song recordings far outnumber calls, its the song that draws most attention in the field.
Song here Sid Francis iNaturalist
Call here - xeno-canto Dave Guo, XC768639. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/768639
Hume's Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus humei photos Sid Francis
One of the small warblers with a typical small, fine bill, but lacking a rump and conspicuous crown stripe making it very similar to the brighter yellow-browed. However since Hume's is a breeding bird and Yellow-browed, passage/winter - safely identifying Hume's in its breeding habitat and and during summer months becomes a less complicated job. Its also aided by it's characteristic song - a type of soft buzzing trill. In Sichuan the breeding bird is mandellii but humei is met on passage - should be slight differences in plumage and vocals, and a split has been suggested. However, difficult to distinguish in the field and I thinks its safe to assume all sightings in breeding season to be mandellii.
Similar species - very similar to yellow-browed, which is a passage/winter visitor, so only limited periods when both species present. During breeding season hume's is quite easy to identify on plumage alone from other (vaguely) similar full-capped warblers that share breeding habitat. Greenish and large-billed are bigger with chunky bills and greenish has a conspicuous yellow lower mandible. Another full-capped warbler found in same habitat Yellow-streaked, is also a dull - but size and the fact this bird lacks wing bars and looks bigger should be just two of the obvious differences that precludes any confusion. From Yellow-browed is far more difficult, but good photos might reveal one diagnostic feature - Hume's has an all black lower mandible while yellow-browed has a distinct yellow base - generally hume's is the dull bird and Yellow-browed the brighter. Photos might reveal the very faint coronal stripe this bird can have, a feature it also shares with Hume's. One other warbler, Buff-barred, also found st similar elevations, has a vaguely similar song - but this is harsher, more of a rasp and not so soft in pitch - and in plumage, with noticeable white-outer tail feathers, easy to distinguish from hume's.
Habitat - high alpine conifer forest and scrub to over 4,000m - finding in this habitat during breeding season should solve any confussion with yellow-browed. However, during passage, possibilities of both birds turning up in a variety of habitats, including places like town parks - this is when the identification becomes trickier.
Vocalizations - The song is best described as a buzzing trill - short, high pitched but soft sounding phrases, under a couple of seconds in duration and almost insect like. It's not a strident stand out noise - rather subtle . The call is high-pitched note sometimes a double note but a lot of variation on breeding grounds - there should be a difference between mandellii and humei but I find it indistinct and probably easier to separate in passage/winter birds when vocalizations less varied. Links to recordings of mandellii. Call vaguely similar to yellow-browed and its always useful to make a recording in lower elevations where species might be confused.
Song here - xeno-canto Nick Athanas, XC23362. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/23362
Call here - xeno-canto Peter Boesman, XC916440. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/916440
Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides photos Sid Francis
A larger full-capped warbler - chunky bill with nicely contrasting dark upper and yellow lower mandible. Should show just one wing-bar but our birds sometimes show a trace of a second - but never as much as a real two-barred. Once you spot that full cap, half the identification battle is solved. The complicated song, is not as distinct as the cap/bill combo but soon learned and recognized when these birds are singing around you in the field - the call is a distinct wagtail like chiwhip.
Similar Species - on breeding grounds large-billed is also full capped, but the easy to recognize large-billed vocalizations make for an easy separation. Plumage features are a little more obscure - with large-billed has a brown bill that lacks the yellow. - can be seen in the field but best in photos. Greenish should be a brighter bird with more of a distinct wing-bar - but lighting conditions and plumage variation makes these differences less obvious. Greenish's habit of being more of an open percher than the surprisingly skulky large-billed can also be an important pointer.
Habitat - forests, at Wolong/Balang starts around 2,500m up to treeline scrub at over 3,500m.
Vocalizations - song made up of repeated two syllable notes that are given between trills and silent pauses. It's very different from similar looking large-billed, while the sweet trilling portions are quite noticeable and put you onto birds. The call reminds of a wagtail and again is quite easy to hear.
Song here Sid Francis iNaturalist
Call here - xeno-canto Peter Boesman, XC916495. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/916495
Large-billed Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus magnirostris photos Sid Francis
Secretive in habit, you hear this bird a lot more than seeing it - and its vocalizations, especially the song, are so strident and distinctive making identification simple. Plumage wise, with the full cap and wing bars, it resembles greenish but the bill form is quite different - long and evenly dark rather than the stout billed greenish with its characteristic yellow under mandible. Also a rather secretive bird - can be a problem to see without playback
Similar species - the photograhed bird is on the same bush and shots taken the same day as the photographed Greenish Warbler - the most likely species where confusion could occur. However, being a skulker, unlike open perching greenish, the large-billed was typically picked up on its song and call - easily identified before being seen. So distinctice are those vocals, that they usually make similarities in plumage irrelevant for identification. All other leaf warblers with full caps have differentiating features - such as size, wing-bars and bills - that easily distinguish them from large-billed.
Vocalizations - the song sounds like the first three notes of three blind mice, as played in a round, one rendition slightly after the other - de de-dud dud-de de, very distinctive. It's also quite a loud, penetrating song - one you can often hear from a moving car. The call is also distinctive and relatively loud - a repeated call of yhea-te-sis. . .
Habitat - in moist, native broadleaf and mixed forest - we start to hear this bird around the 2,000m mark, and have also seen in dense alpine scrub around 3,500m.
Song here Sid Francis iNaturalist
Call here - xeno-canto Peter Boesman, XC916448. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/916448
Kloss's Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus ogilviegranti photos Sid Francis
Big warbler with crown-stripe, chunky bill and wing bars, almost identical to Claudia's. In the field vocalizations can distinguishing the two species , kloss's less complicated with a single, short and repeated song phrase, Also a wing lifter but display comprises of both wings raised together, rather than claudia's single, alternate style. It's generally found at lower altitudes than claudia's but we have found where breeding zones coincide. Seems adaptive to using plantation type habitat - at least that type of habitat where some native growth can be found.
Similar species - have already discused similarities/differences with claudia's but also have to consider Eastern Crowned, which is another crown stripe bird that can be found in lower forest. However , breeding eastern crowned are normally distributed in areas of N Sichuan, and is not a warbler that features on many Sichuan lists. Main differences between Eastern-crowned and Kloss's are a very different song, Eastern Crowned single, indistinct wingbar and even chunkier bill. Remember even with photos - you need vocals to separate from Claudia's in overlap areas.
Vocalizations - the key to separating from claudia's - we find the main difference is that Kloss's song is a repetition of near identical high pitched, short phrases, each just over a second long, maide up of very quickly sung notes. Unlike claudia's song, we dont hear the range of variation and trill like phrases. Call is similar to claudia's.
Habitat - lower forest, we find it using a narrow altitude band starting just above the1,000m mark going up to around 1,500m - a variety of forest types including those dominated by plantation.
Song here Sid Francis iNaturalist
Call here - xeno-canto Mike Nelson, XC267136. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/267136
Sichuan Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus forresti photos Sid Francis
Generally assumed to have full species status, after the split of the Pallas's Leaf Warbler complex - five very similar species, that despite having rather different vocalisation, were regarded as just one. Its also one the most widespread and plentiful Sichuan warblers - can be very common in dense. bushy secondary habitats at mid to high elevations. Sichuan is home to two other (possibly three with the unclear staus of gansu) members of the complex, chinese, and the very similar sister-species pallas's, Difficult to confidently separate through plumage, the time of year the bird is seen becomes important - Sichuan a summer migrant and breeding bird, while, pallas's is passage/winter. All of the complex are typical fine billed, wingbar, coronal stripe and light rump type warblers - but Chinese which is also a summer breeding migrant has a vastly different song and call to Sichuan. If flying, and in the middle of the breeding season, its the large light rump that puts you onto a sichuan.
Similar species - there are periods in early spring and late autumn when pallas's and sichuan are both present. Even though there are plumage variations and light and dark versions of both species, with differing levels of yellow wash on rump and face, I get the impression that pallas's have a neater more defined crown pattern and sichuan a black eye-stripe that points down to and becomes more diffuse around the ear coverts. Habit also seems different, Pallas's being more "hyperactive" - more, typical, leaf gleaning hovering behaviour than Sichuan. Pallas's is also a generally brighter bird. Both birds fully black bills - contrasting with chinese that has a yellow base to its lower mandible (difficult to see feature, best in photos). Plumage similar but light rump on the chinese less visible, and fainter crown stripe - but vocalisations are very different.
Vocalisations - song is a series of trills - totally unlike Chinese Leaf warblers repeated mechanical song. A singing pallas's on passage is possible - but this song although containing trills is far more complicated and varied. Call is a simple tsiwi - a common sound and heard more frequently than the song.
Habitat - native forest both mixed and conifer, but can be very common in bushy secondary type growth from around 1,500m to over 3,000m
Song here - xeno-canto Peter Boesman, XC916436. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/916436
Call here - xeno-canto Peter Boesman, XC916428. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/916428
Sulphur-breasted Warbler Phylloscopus ricketti photos Sid Francis
,
A striking yellow plumage combined with the black and yellow crown and face pattern makes this one of the easier leaf warblers to identify. Also one of our lowest breeding warblers - our local birds start where suitable forest habitat occurs which in Sichuan is usually around the 700m mark and goes up to around 1,500m. It returns and breeds early, first birds arriving in late March, with singing birds being very noticeable in early April. After this early period of vocal activity it becomes much harder to find and sightings tail off in May and June, when other leaf warblers are very active and noticeable. This is one of the reasons most late spring/early summer Sichuan birding trips get relatively few sightings compared with species like Claudia's and Sichuan - the focus on higher altitude sites could be another one.
Similar species - with that yellow plumage its only the old seicurcus group of warblers that theoretically pose an identification problem. But lack of eye-ring and the typical grey, black and yellow face pattern of the makes field identification easy. However, song can be confused with kloss's, but being able to see the singing bird, kloss's having a far more sombre plumage, precludes any misidentifications.
Vocalizations - the distinctive plumage of this bird makes the song most valuable for finding it, rather than identifying it. It's very similar to kloss's, a bird that can be found in the same habitat,, repeated phrases several notes long. However, the end notes fall in pitch, rather than slightly rising as in the Kloss's song.
Habitat - a variety of lower woodland types. Often mixed woodland close to agriculture, where a variety of cultivated and native tree species are typical. Also found in plantation dominated woodland.
Song here Sid Francis iNaturalist
Tickell's Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus affinis photos Sid Francis
Highest breeding leaf warbler and alpine specialist, found above the treeline on scrubby alpine grasslands. On Balang mountain starts at around 3,500m and goes to over 4,000m. Habitat can include very low scrub no more than a metre high. If scrub is present, can be a common species on high mountain passes. Yellow undersides and face, that can look quite washed-out on worn birds, full cap and no wing-bars, together with a habitat, the highest of which will see no other breeding warblers make it quite easy to identify.
Similar species - similarities of worn tickell's - and they can be a lot less yellow than suggested in the above photos - with buff throated is discussed in section for that species, but the essential difference during breeding season is that tickell's is found in vastly different alpine habitat. Only during passage do we really get periods where the two species can be found in similar habitat. Photos may give an indication of diagnostic bill differences - tickell's lower mandible being a rather obvious whole yellow while buff-throated is mainly black. Also see buff-throated, where same criteria apply, over possible confusion with dusky or yellow-streaked.
Vocalizations - both simple trilling song and one note call very similar to buff-throated. Using playback both species will come into the others vocalizations.
Habitat - scrub above the treeline. At high altitudes around 4,000m, low alpine scrub, often in small sheltered areas that better support denser stands of vegetation. Especially areas that haven't suffered Yak overgrazing.- domestic goats, sheep and especially Yak, and their effects on alpine vegetation, must be one of the biggest threats to this species.
Song here - xeno-canto Peter Boesman, XC916408. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/916408
Call here - xeno canto Peter Boesman, XC491445. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/491445.
Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus photos Sid Francis
One of the small, fine billed warblers with wing-bars, is usually a well known species to most of our European clients, and, just like their birds, ours are passage and winter visitors. Quite common during passage when you can find in places like city parks. Full cap (slight hint of a coronal stripe best seen in photos) and lack of rump is chief identifier from all other birds than hume's.
Similar species - its full cap (can show faint coronal stripe) and lack of rump are the best pointers to separate from the other fine billed, small warblers apart from the breeding hume's. From hume's, best and most noticeable is pointer is that it's a brighter bird. When and where the sighting was made is also highly useful, with breeding season sightings made in alpine habitat being obvious pointers to hume's, I find the calls of mandellii hume's and yellow-browed rather alike to make a vocal separation. Photos of the bill can also be very helpful - yellow-browed has a noticeable yellow base to lower mandible, while hume's is dark.
Vocalizations - a passage winter visitor that can be heard calling a double note chee-wit. Calling hume's doesn't give such a distinct double note.
Habitat - as passage/winter bird can turn up in a wide variety of habitats, often lower woodlands, but also, during passage, in higher areas where mountain passes act as migration funnels.
Call here - xeno-canto Peter Ericsson, XC894389. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/894389
Yellow-streaked Warbler Phylloscopus armandii photos Sid Francis
A rather skulky warbler that will sing it's penetrative trilling song from the depths of thick scrub. The yellow streaks, faint yellow, elongated patches on breast and belly, can be difficult to see in the field, often being more obvious in photos. It has a subtle white throat patch - not a huge stand out feature but one you do notice if the bird starts singing for an open vantage point. Its a good identification feature from similar, but far skulkier dusky and vaguely similar buff-throated. It also has a big chunky bill with obvious yellow lower mandible and is noticeably bigger than the other two birds. Like them, it also lacks wing bars and has a full cap, which instantly makes for an easy separation from other leaf warblers. And lastly its the song and its trills that are the clincher with this bird - both in finding and identifying it.
Similar species - as already noted its
Vocalizations - trilling song
Habitat - well grown, old growth scrub -, willow. At high altitudes
Song here Sid Francis iNaturalist
The six warblers that were foremerly known as seicurcus (the golden spectacle complex) have plumages characterised by their bright greens, yellows and conspicuous eye-rings, a little flashier than the dull greens of most other leaf warblers. Flashiest and easiest to identify is Chestnut-crowned Warbler, that sports a large chestnut patch on its forecrown. However the rest of the group are extremely similar - plumage identification relies on subtle differences, sometimes best seen in photos, like the amount of grey on crowns, very feint wing-bars and even more difficult to locate breaks in the eye-rings. There are differences in amount of white tail feathering - but this is very hard to see unless you have a bird in the hand. The best ID poniter is song - and these are also quite simililar, mostly differing in the amount of trilling. What does help is knowning three of the most cryptc, Alstrom's, Marten's and Bianchi's can breed on the same mountain but at differing altitude zones - Alstrom's being the lowest breeder, while Bianchi's is highest.
Alstrom's Warbler
Bianchi's Warbler
Chestnut-crowned Warbler
Grey-crowned Warbler
Marten's Warbler
White-spectacled Warbler
,