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Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus) Alternate name(s): "Willow Wren" German name(s): "Fitis" Size: 11-12.5 cm; wing span 16-22 cm Body mass: 7-15 g Wing loading [g/cm2]: 0.25-0.35

Europe: Family Group 17 Family Group 17 Table Dunnock Alpine Accentor Goldcrest Common Firecrest Madeira Firecrest Eurasian Wren Willow Warbler Common Chiffchaff Iberian Chiffchaff Arctic Warbler Yellow-barred Warbler Wood Warbler Western Bonelli's Warbler Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names European birds home page

Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Willow Warblers are very small leaf warblers. Overall, their plumage is dominated by olive-greyish hues. The front is light-grey to light olive-grey, with some yellow patches interspersed irregularly. The crown, nape of the neck, back, rump and upperwing coverts are dark olive-grey. The flight feathers are dark-grey with narrow white leading edges. They have yellowish supercilia and olive-grey eye stripes. Their characteristic feature is that the ear coverts have an olive-grey frame that is not present in other, similar species. There are small differences between the three races, with the western birds having most olive and yellowish tints, while the central Asian birds tend to be somewhat browner, while the eastern Asian population is greyest. The irises are dark. The bill has a grey upper mandible and a horn-coloured lower mandible. The legs and feet are pale pinkish-grey. Juvenile birds have an entirely pale-yellowish front.

Taxonomy, classification See Willow Warbler at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Willow Warbler is available HERE . There are three races of Willow Warblers, which are a strongly migratory species. Their migration, in particular that of the eastern Asian race "yakutensis", is amongst the most extreme in the bird world. Nominate race "trochilus" breeds in Europe, from the Pyrenees and the Alps northwards, except northern Scandinavia. This race spends the northern winters in sub-Saharan western Africa. Race "acredula" breeds in northern Scandinavia and from there eastwards, up to western Siberia, and up to geographic latitudes of about 70 degrees. This race migrates to its winter quarters in central Africa. Race "yakutensis" breeds in eastern Siberia, up to the Bering Sea (some even reach Alaska), and ALL birds of this race migrate to eastern and southern Africa during the northern winter (thus NOT to more southern locations in Asia). On passage Willow Warblers can be found anywhere between their breeding ranges and their winter quarters, i.e., all around the Mediterranean, Asia Minor, the Middle East, southern Asia (but northward of the Himalayas and the Tibetan plateau), Arabia and northern Africa. Both Asian races migrate primarily via the Asian - East-African Flyway, while the European race "trochilus" also travels via the western Mediterranean. In Europe the breeding range of Willow Warblers, race "trochilus", extends from the British Isles via western, central and northern Europe eastwards, anywhere northwards of the Alps, the Pyrenees and the High Tatra mountains. Anywhere further South they are found only during passage. Willow Warblers have a preference for young woodland with small trees and/or shrubs, both decidious or coniferous. Often they choose the proximity of water or otherwise humid/moist habitats.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "trochilus" D. Wilczynska reports spotting Willow Warblers, nominate race "trochilus", near Brok, Masovia, Poland, in April 2016 and again in June 2016. In May 2017 they were also found in Biebrza NP, Poland. A Common Chiffchaff, race "trochilus", was also found in Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, in September 2018. J. Pires reports finding Willow Warblers, race "trochilus", semi-regularly during their migration in various locations in southern/central Portugal. S. Cuturilov reports netting and ringing a Willow Warbler, nominate race "trochilus", at Vlasina Lake, Serbia, in October 2019. G. Normand found a Willow Warbler, race "trochilus", in Kosovo in August 2021. Race "acredula" M. Eaton reports spotting Willow Warblers, race "acredula", in Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, in June 2018.

Photos

Race "trochilus"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Willow Warbler (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Frontal/ventral view of a Willow Warbler (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Brok, Masovia, Poland, August 2016]

Near-frontal view of a Willow Warbler (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, September 2018]

Near-frontal view of a Willow Warbler (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, September 2018]

Near-frontal view of a Willow Warbler (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Near-frontal/ventral view of a Willow Warbler (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Near-lateral view of a Willow Warbler issuing its song (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Brok, Masovia, Poland, April 2016]

Near-lateral view of a Willow Warbler (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Near-lateral view of a Willow Warbler (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Lateral view of a Willow Warbler (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2018]

Lateral view of a Willow Warbler (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Brok, Masovia, Poland, August 2016]

Lateral view of a Willow Warbler (photo courtesy of S. Cuturilov)
[Vlasina Lake, Serbia, October 2019]

Lateral view of a Willow Warbler (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Lateral view of a Willow Warbler (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Lateral view of a Willow Warbler (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Lateral/ventral view of a Willow Warbler (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Raia river, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2025]

Lateral/ventral view of a Willow Warbler (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia river, Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Willow Warbler (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Willow Warbler (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Willow Warbler looking sideways (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Willow Warbler looking sideways (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, January 2022]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a Willow Warbler (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Brok, Masovia, Poland, August 2016]

Dorsal view of a Willow Warbler looking sideways (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, January 2022]

Dorsal view of a Willow Warbler (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Race "acredula"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Near-lateral view of a Willow Warbler (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, June 2018]

Near-lateral view of a Willow Warbler (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, June 2018]

Lateral view of a Willow Warbler (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, June 2018]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial

Mobility: Migratory

Elementary unit: Solitary

Food, Diet

Lateral/ventral view of a Willow Warbler with its prey (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

willwrb_dw_20200531.m4a	(Poland)	Territorial calls (male)	© DW
willwrb_dw_20170428.m4a	(Poland)	Territorial call (male)	© DW
willwrb_dw_20170429.m4a	(Poland)	Territorial calls (male)	© DW

More Willow Warbler sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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