- Passeriformes
- Phylloscopidae
Blyth's Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus reguloides
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Identification
Fairly bright mid-sized leaf-warbler, yellowish-green above and white below with two wingbars, a broad yellow-suffused eyebrow, and a pale stripe across a gray crown. Amount of white in the tail is intermediate between White-tailed Leaf-Warbler and Emei Leaf-Warbler. A brighter crown stripe separates Blyth’s from the Emei, and unique behavior serves to distinguish this species from White-tailed: Blyth’s constantly flicks wings one after the other, while White-tailed flicks them simultaneously. Kloss’s Leaf-Warbler is much brighter overall, especially on the head and vent. Hartert’s and Claudia’s Leaf-Warblers are closely related, physically similar, and may pose issues in areas of overlap: look out for a more yellowish breast on Hartert’s and a whiter eyebrow and less white in the tail in Claudia’s. Blyth’s song is a high “tsi-tsslehlee-tsslehlee” or “tsi-tchew-witty-tchew-witty-tchew,” with the introductory note separating it from Hartert’s but not always Claudia’s. Breeds in broadleaf (often oak), coniferous, or mixed forests at middle to high elevations, and descends into lower foothill regions in the winter.