Phylloscopus tenellipes
The Pale-legged Leaf Warbler, *Phylloscopus tenellipes*, is a small, active passerine bird belonging to the family Phylloscopidae, renowned for its distinctive physical attributes and captivating song. Measuring approximately 11-12.5 cm (4.3-4.9 inches) in length and weighing a mere 7-10 grams, it features olive-green to brownish-grey upperparts, whitish underparts often with a yellowish wash on the flanks, and a prominent, long pale supercilium contrasting with a dark eye-stripe. Its most di...
This warbler breeds in moist, dense broadleaf or mixed coniferous-broadleaf forests, often near streams, at low to mid-elevations. During winter, it favors various types of evergreen forests, woodlands, thickets, and gardens, from sea level to around 1000 meters.
The diet of the Pale-legged Leaf Warbler consists predominantly of small insects and their larvae, including caterpillars, beetles, flies, and spiders. It primarily forages by gleaning prey from foliage and branches, with occasional aerial pursuits.
A highly active and arboreal species, the Pale-legged Leaf Warbler is diurnal, constantly moving through the foliage as it forages for insects. Its primary foraging strategy involves gleaning small invertebrates from leaves and twigs, often high in the canopy, but it will also perform short hover...
The Pale-legged Leaf Warbler boasts an extensive, yet specific, geographic distribution across Asia. Its breeding range encompasses northeastern Asia, primarily southeastern Siberia (Amurland and Ussuriland), Sakhalin Island, northeastern China (notably Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces), North Ko...
Least Concern
- The 'pale legs' from which it gets its name are a key diagnostic feature, as most other leaf warblers (genus *Phylloscopus*) have dark legs. - Its scientific name *tenellipes* translates from Latin to 'tender-footed' or 'delicate-footed', a direct reference to its pale legs. - Despite its small...