Wood Warbler

Overview

The Phylloscopus sibilatrix is a common and widespread leaf warbler that breeds throughout northern and temperate Europe and parts of western Asia, with the entire population migrating to tropical Africa for winter.

Identification

• Length of 11–12.5 cm with green upperparts, white underparts, and a lemon-yellow breast
• Distinguished by a yellow supercilium, yellow throat, and yellow upper breast
• Features pale tertial edges, a longer primary projection, and a shorter but broader tail compared to similar species
• Song consists of a high-pitched fluid metallic trill and a series of descending piping notes

Habitat

Prefers open but shady mature woodlands, such as beech and sessile oak, with sparse ground cover for nesting. It is a strong migrant that breeds in Europe and Asia but winters in tropical Africa, including areas like Ghana.

Diet

Like most Old World warblers, this small passerine is insectivorous.

Did you know?

The specific epithet sibilatrix is derived from Latin meaning a 'female whistler', while the species was historically known as the 'wood-wren' at the end of the nineteenth century.