Ijima's Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus ijimae Scientific name definitions

11–12 cm. A medium-sized leaf-warbler with fairly long and relatively broad-based bill, prominent supercilium and broad dark eyestripe. Has long white or buffish-white supercilium extending back to nape side, accentuated by blackish lores and broad blackish eyestripe; thin white eyering, greyish cheek and ear-coverts; crown and nape greenish-grey, upperparts bright olive-green (sometimes lighter green on rump); tips of greater upper­wing-coverts whitish (indistinct/thin wingbar); flight-feathers and tail feathers dark brown, edged bright olive-green; white below, breast side and flanks greyish, vent and undertail-coverts washed with yellow; iris dark brown; upper mandible dark brown, lower mandible entirely yellowish, orange or orange-pink; legs pale pinkish-brown to horn-brown. Differs from P. coronatus mainly in lack of central crownstripe; from very similar P. olivaceus in having whitish (not yellowish) supercilium. Sexes alike. Juvenile undescribed.

Izu Is (off S Honshu) and Nakano-shima (in Tokara Is, off S Kyushu), in Japan. Non-breeding range poorly known; includes Ryukyu Is, possibly also Taiwan and N Philippines.

VULNERABLE. Restricted-range species: present in Izu Islands EBA. Population thought likely to consist of a few thousand individuals at most. Formerly common to locally abundant in breeding area, but considered threatened because of its small, declining and severely fragmented population, the result of habitat loss (possibly mainly in wintering area) and possibly pesticide use. Migrants on S Osumi Peninsula (SE Kyushu) are threatened by illegal bird-trapping and possible development of the site as a windfarm. In 1973, at which time the population possibly numbered tens of thousands, transect counts found densities of between 10·6 and 30 birds/km on To-shima, 15·6–38/km on Miyake-jima, 13·6/km on Mikura-jima, 9·2–13·8/km on Aoga-shima, 1·7 -11·9/km on Hachijo-shima, 0·6–5·8/km on Kozu-shima and 1·3 birds/km on Nii-jima. On O-shima, much of the suitable natural breeding habitat has been cleared. Population on Miyake-jima has been severely affected by the volcanic eruption that occurred in 2000, covering the island with heavy ash; the crater subsequently emitted toxic gasses, affecting both animals and plants on the island. Protected under Japanese law and as a National Monument; also included on the Red List of Japan.