Phylloscopus trochilus
The Willow Warbler, *Phylloscopus trochilus*, is a small, energetic Old World leaf warbler, renowned for its distinctive, melancholic song. Averaging 11-12.5 cm (4.3-4.9 in) in length, with a wingspan of 17-22 cm (6.7-8.7 in) and weighing just 6.3-13.5 g (0.22-0.48 oz), it presents a subtle but charming appearance. Its upperparts are a dull olive-green, contrasting with paler, yellowish-white underparts, and it features a prominent, often yellowish supercilium and a pale stripe above the eye,...
This species favors open woodlands, scrubland, young plantations, heathlands with scattered trees, and birch/willow thickets, typically at lower to mid-elevations.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on small insects and their larvae, as well as spiders, gleaned from leaves and twigs.
Willow Warblers are highly active, diurnal foragers, constantly flitting through foliage in search of insects. Males establish territories through incessant singing from prominent perches shortly after arriving on breeding grounds, defending them against rivals. Courtship involves the male pursui...
The Willow Warbler boasts an expansive breeding range across the northern Palearctic, from the British Isles and Western Europe (excluding the extreme south) eastward through Fennoscandia, Central Europe, and Russia, reaching as far as eastern Siberia. Its primary wintering grounds lie entirely w...
Least Concern
- The Willow Warbler undertakes one of the longest migrations for any passerine its size, traveling up to 12,000 km (7,500 miles) between its Palearctic breeding grounds and sub-Saharan African wintering areas. - Despite its unassuming appearance, its characteristic descending song is one of the ...