Sulawesi Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus nesophilus Scientific name definitions

One of the commonest of Sulawesi’s montane endemics, the Sulawesi Leaf Warbler occurs throughout the island above ca. 600 m, except the southwest (South Sulawesi province), where it is replaced by the Lompobattang Leaf Warbler (Phylloscopus sarasinorum). The two were formerly united in an expanded single species, but the morphological and bioacoustic differences between them are substantial.

The Sulawesi Leaf Warbler is often encountered in mixed-species flocks, wherein its small size, pale eyebrow, and proportionally large blackish bill are distinctive. Its song is a highly variable mix of warbled notes and trills. Despite its abundance and conspicuousness, very little of this species’ biology is known, with almost no data on breeding.