Ijima's Leaf Warbler

Overview

Ijima's leaf warbler, also known as the Izu leaf warbler, is a species of Old World warbler native to Japan. It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and holds the status of a Natural Monument under Japanese law.

Identification

• Small passerine measuring 11.5 cm in length with a weight of around 10 g.
• Greenish-grey crown and nape, bright olive-green upperparts, greyish flanks, and white underparts.
• Features a long white or buffish-white supercilium, a blackish eyestripe, and a dark brown iris.
• Distinguished from similar species by the absence of a central stripe on the crown and paler yellow undertail coverts.

Habitat

The species inhabits lowland deciduous and mixed subtropical evergreen forests, including laurel forest, forest edges, stands of alder and bamboo, and shrubland. It breeds in the Izu Islands and Nakanoshima, with seasonal movements to other parts of Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines.

Diet

Insects form the principal component of its diet, which is also supplemented by seeds. It forages singly or in small mixed groups, often including long-tailed tits, on lower branches, in the forest canopy, on the ground, and occasionally in mid-air.

Did you know?

The Japanese name for the species is written in kanji as "Ijima's insect-eater", directly highlighting its primary dietary focus.