Buff-barred Warbler Phylloscopus pulcher Scientific name definitions

10–11 cm; 5·5–7·5 g. A small to medium-sized leaf-warbler with long supercilium, two wingbars, pale yellow rump and white in outer tail feathers. Nominate race has pale yellow supercilium from lores to ear-coverts, narrow dark olive eyestripe; crown to nape dark olive (sometimes vestigial central crownstripe), becoming buffish-brown with olive tinge on mantle, back and scapulars; rump pale yellow or straw-yellow; upperwing-coverts as scapulars, tips of median coverts olive-yellow, tips of greaters broadly orange-buff or yellowish (buffish when worn); flight-feathers dark brown, edged olive-green, tertials tipped buffish-yellow; tail dark brown or blackish, three outer feathers mostly whitish on outer webs; dull or dingy yellow below, brightest on belly and undertail-coverts; iris dark brown; bill black, yellow to horn base of lower mandible; legs brown or pinkish-brown. Differs from P. inornatus and P. humei in darker green upperparts, indistinct crownstripe, orange colour of wingbars, white in outer tail, yellow rump patch, yellowish underparts; from P. maculipennis in slightly larger size, paler crown, yellowish supercilium, orange wingbars, uniform underparts; from P. proregulus in orange wingbars, less well-defined yellowish rump patch and underparts, white in tail, lack of prominent central crownstripe. Sexes alike. Juvenile is similar to adult, but generally less olive on upperparts and duller or greyer below. Race kangrae has paler, more yellowish-olive crown and upperparts and slightly paler underparts than nominate.

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Breeds between 2100 m and 4300 m in subalpine birch (Betula), juniper (Juniperus), oak (Quercus) and rhododendron (Rhododendron) forests, also dwarf juniper and rhododendron scrub above tree-line; in winter at lower levels, usually below 2800 (frequently below 1000 m), in oak and other evergreen deciduous forests.

Altitudinal migrant, making post-breeding movement to lower levels. Wintering areas occupied between Oct and Mar, but timing of departure depends on severity of weather at higher levels; leaves for breeding area in late Mar and early Apr.

Feeds on insects; also, frequently takes nectar from flowering trees and sap from oaks. Usually singly or in pairs; in non-breeding season often in mixed-species flocks with tits (Parus) and other small insectivores. Forages actively in foliage and on branches of upper canopy of trees.

Call a thin but loud and sharp “tit”, “tsit”, “zip” or “swit”, frequently repeated on occasions, similar to that of P. maculipennis but sharper and more strident; also a rising “tsi-i-i-i-i”. Song consists of one or more call notes followed by fast and shrill trill like that of P. sibilatrix, “tzzzzzzzzzzzzzt”.

Apr–Jul. Nest an untidy ball of dry grasses, strips of birch bark, lichens, green moss and feathers, placed up to 4 m from ground in dense bush, against tree trunk, in fork of branch or in outer branches of conifer. Clutch 3–4 eggs; no information on incubation and nestling periods. Nests parasitized by Lesser Cuckoo (Cuculus poliocephalus).

Not globally threatened. Common and widespread in S China, India, Nepal and Bhutan; locally common resident N & W Myanmar, N Laos and W Tonkin. Uncommon or locally common non-breeding visitor in Nagaland (NE India), S Myanmar and NW Thailand.