Willow Warbler fledgling
The Willow Warbler is one of the Phylloscopus leaf warblers. It is greenish brown above and off-white to yellowish below and the wings are plain greenish-brown with no wing bars. Juveniles are yellower below than the adults.
The Willow Warbler is very similar to the Chiffchaff but non-singing birds can be distinguished from that species by their paler pinkish-yellow legs (dark brown to blackish in Chiffchaff), longer paler bill, more elegant shape and longer primary projection (wingtip).
The Willow Warbler is very common and widespread and breeds throughout northern and temperate Europe and Asia from Ireland east to the Anadyr River basin in eastern Siberia. The highest population densities are found in Scandinavia (where it is often the commonest bird) but lower densities occur further east and south in its range. In England, it has on average decreased in population by 70% within the last 25 years with the biggest declines in the south east. In Scotland, some increases in the population have occurred.
The Willow Warbler is strongly migratory with almost all of the population wintering in sub-Saharan Africa during October to March. It is one of the first warblers to return in the spring from mid March to mid May although this is later than the closely related Chiffchaff.
The Willow Warbler can be found in open, scrubby woodlands with small trees such as birch, alder and willow, including human-altered habitats such as coppice and young plantations up to 10 to 20 years old. The nest is usually built in close contact with the ground, often in low vegetation such as bracken, mosses and bramble
The Willow Warbler is insectivorous and eats a wide variety of small insects and spiders but additionally fruit and berries in the autumn.
Date: 21st June 2015
Location: Loch Insh, Kincraig, Dunkeld, Perthshire
The Willow Warbler is very similar to the Chiffchaff but non-singing birds can be distinguished from that species by their paler pinkish-yellow legs (dark brown to blackish in Chiffchaff), longer paler bill, more elegant shape and longer primary projection (wingtip).
The Willow Warbler is very common and widespread and breeds throughout northern and temperate Europe and Asia from Ireland east to the Anadyr River basin in eastern Siberia. The highest population densities are found in Scandinavia (where it is often the commonest bird) but lower densities occur further east and south in its range. In England, it has on average decreased in population by 70% within the last 25 years with the biggest declines in the south east. In Scotland, some increases in the population have occurred.
The Willow Warbler is strongly migratory with almost all of the population wintering in sub-Saharan Africa during October to March. It is one of the first warblers to return in the spring from mid March to mid May although this is later than the closely related Chiffchaff.
The Willow Warbler can be found in open, scrubby woodlands with small trees such as birch, alder and willow, including human-altered habitats such as coppice and young plantations up to 10 to 20 years old. The nest is usually built in close contact with the ground, often in low vegetation such as bracken, mosses and bramble
The Willow Warbler is insectivorous and eats a wide variety of small insects and spiders but additionally fruit and berries in the autumn.
Date: 21st June 2015
Location: Loch Insh, Kincraig, Dunkeld, Perthshire
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Also in: Warblers
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