Willow Warbler
Phylloscopus trochilus
Willow Warbler eats insects in African open woodlands and forest edges.
| Scientific name | Phylloscopus trochilus |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | Least Concern |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Passeriformes |
| Family | Phylloscopidae |
| Size | Male: approximately 5.5-9 grams; Female: approximately 5.5-9 grams |
How to identify
Small body, length about 11-12.5 cm; olive green upperparts, pale yellow to white underparts; distinct pale yellow supercilium; wings without obvious wing bars; legs pale with pinkish tint
Habitat
Open woodlands, shrublands, valleys, and moist forest edges
Diet
Primarily insects and their larvae, occasionally spiders and other small invertebrates
When it is active
Diurnal, mainly active at dawn and dusk
Where it lives
Breeds in Europe and northern Asia, winters in sub-Saharan Africa including parts of Kenya; occasionally seen during winter in areas like Masai Mara
How to spot it
Observe at woodland edges and shrublands during spring and autumn migration seasons, note its active flight and distinctive call
Photography tips
Use a telephoto lens to capture its small size and details, soft morning light is ideal for photography, simple background highlights the subject
Threats
Habitat loss and climate change affecting migration and breeding
Similar species
Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita), distinguished by a broader, whiter supercilium and different song
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