Claudia's Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus claudiae Scientific name definitions

c. 10 cm; 7·5–10 g. A medium-sized, well-marked leaf-warbler. Adult has long pale yellow supercilium becoming whiter at rear, thin blackish-olive loral line and broader eyestripe; broad pale greenish central crownstripe becoming whiter on nape, bordered by dark olive crown-sides which become blacker posteriorly; upperparts bright olive-green, median and greater upperwing-coverts tipped yellow (two broad wingbars); flight-feathers and tail dark brown with broad olive-green edges, inner webs of outer two rectrices narrowly edged white; throat and underparts whitish, faintly tinged with yellow (especially on flanks), axillaries yellow; iris blackish; maxilla dark, mandible pale orange-yellow or pink; legs variable, from greenish or bluish green to yellow or pinkish. Sexes alike. Juvenile is like adult but duller, with less marked head pattern.

C & NE China (C Sichuan E to Hubei, N to S Gansu, S Shanxi and S Shaanxi; also Hebei) (3 Martens, J. (2010). A preliminary review of the leaf warbler genera Phylloscopus and Seicercus. British Ornithologists' Club Occasional Publications 5:41–116. Close , 4 Martens, J., Tietze, D.T. and Päckert, M. (2011). Phylogeny, biodiversity, and species limits of passerine birds in the Sino-Himalayan region - a critical review. Orn. Monogr. 70: 64–94. Close ); non-breeding possibly NE India (Khasi Hills and Manipur, at least), C & S Myanmar, S China (S Yunnan), NW & NE Thailand and N Vietnam (W Tonkin).

Migratory. Winters mainly in SE Asia from S China (S Yunnan) S to C & S Myanmar, NW & NE Thailand and N Vietnam (W Tonkin); also in NE India (Khasi Hills and Manipur, possibly also elsewhere) and probably Bangladesh. Reported sighting of migrant in Mar 2017 at Ng Tung Chai would, if accepted, be first record of this species for Hong Kong (5 Robson, C., Roddis, S. and Loseby, T. (2017). From the field. BirdingASIA. 27: 126–136. Close ).

No detailed information. Diet presumably small arthropods and larvae, much as that of P. reguloides. Forages in canopy, at times hanging tit-like and slowly flicking wings alternately.

Song a protracted series of almost trill-like notes, “chi-chi-chi-chi-chi-chi-chi-chi-chi-chi-chi-pit-chi; alternative song is very like that of P. reguloides (which see). Call “pit-it-chu”.

Unlikely to differ significantly from P. reguloides and other close relatives.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Fairly common within its rather large range. No accurate estimates of this species’ population size are available, but there are no indications that it may be at any immediate risk.