Eastern Crowned Warbler

The Eastern Crowned Warbler, a member of the Old World warbler family Phylloscopidae, is a medium-sized, robust bird with a vivid plumage. Its upperparts are a dark olive-green, while the underparts are a clean white. A striking head pattern features dark grey lateral crown stripes bordering a less distinct yellowish median stripe. A prominent yellowish-white supercilium sits above a dark eye stripe, with dusky yellow cheeks adding to its distinctive facial markings. A single pale wingbar adorns its wings, and its square tail has a subtle fork. The bird's bill is quite strong and pale, contrasting with its dark legs.

Identification Tips

When trying to identify the Eastern Crowned Warbler, look for its strong head pattern with grey and yellowish stripes, the long supercilium, and the single pale wingbar. Its robust bill and dark legs are also key characteristics that can aid in identification.

Habitat

This warbler species is found in open woodlands, both mixed and deciduous, often at lower to middle elevations in mountainous regions. In the northern part of their range, they are known to inhabit dense taiga forests.

Distribution

Breeding across eastern Siberia from the Argun River eastward, the Eastern Crowned Warbler's range extends south into western Manchuria, central Sichuan, the Korean Peninsula, and Japan. During the winter months, it migrates to Southeast Asia, from eastern India and Bangladesh all the way to Java. It has also been recorded as a rare vagrant in western Europe, including Great Britain and Scandinavia.

Behaviour

This arboreal warbler is often detected by its frequent singing. It forages at various heights, from low vegetation to tree canopies, and is known to join mixed-species flocks during both the winter and breeding seasons. It exhibits flycatching behavior, sallying from perches to catch insects mid-flight.

Song & Calls

The Eastern Crowned Warbler is often located by its song, which is a frequent and notable aspect of its behavior, especially during the breeding season.

Etymology

The genus name Phylloscopus is derived from the Ancient Greek words for "leaf" (phullon) and "seeker" (skopos), while the species name coronatus is Latin for "crowned," referring to the bird's distinctive head markings.

Conservation status

The IUCN Red List has classified the Eastern Crowned Warbler as Least Concern, indicating that, currently, there are no immediate threats to its population levels that would warrant a higher risk category.