Lemon-rumped warbler

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The Lemon-rumped Warbler (Phylloscopus chloronotus), also known as the Pale-rumped

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Lemon-rumped warbler
Lemon-rumped Warbler Fambong Lho Wildlife Sanctuary Sikkim 29.03.2014.jpg
In Fambong Lho Wildlife Sanctuary, Sikkim, India
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Phylloscopidae
Genus: Phylloscopus
Species:
P. chloronotus
Binomial name
Phylloscopus chloronotus
(Gray, JE & Gray, GR, 1847)

Warbler, is a small species of Old World warbler in the family Phylloscopidae. [2] It is native to the Himalayas, breeding in montane forests and wintering in the southern foothills and the Purvanchal Range. [3] The species is structurally identical to the Sichuan Leaf Warbler (Phylloscopus forresti), but differs in vocalizations. [4]

Taxonomy

The Lemon-rumped Warbler was once grouped with the Sichuan Leaf Warbler (Phylloscopus forresti) and was previously classified within P. proregulus. Vocal and genetic studies confirmed its separation as a distinct species. [4] Related taxa in China, including P. kansuensis and P. yunnanensis, are also now recognized as separate. [2]

Description

The Lemon-rumped Warbler is 9–10 cm long and weighs about 4.6–5.1 g. [2] It has a whitish crown stripe bordered by darker olive-brown sides, a pale line above the eye, and a dark eyestripe that often curves downward. The upperparts are greenish-grey, and the rump is yellowish or whitish, which gives the species its name. The wings are grey-brown with green edging and usually show one or two pale wingbars. The underparts are whitish or buff with some grey along the breast sides. The bill is dark with a yellowish or orange base to the lower mandible, and the legs are dark grey. [2] Males and females are similar, though females are slightly smaller. Juveniles resemble adults. Two subspecies are recognized: one in the central and eastern Himalayas and another in the west, which shows greener and more buff-toned plumage. [2]

Distribution and habitat

The species breeds across the Himalayas from northern Pakistan through Nepal into India, Bhutan, and China. [3] In winter, it descends to lower elevations, reaching Assam and occasionally Myanmar, though its presence in Afghanistan is uncertain. [3] It inhabits montane forests between 2 200 and 4 200 meters above sea level. In Pakistan it is most frequent at elevations of 2 200–2 700 m, while in Nepal it ranges up to 4 000 m. Winter records occur from 300–2 700 m, generally above 1 000 m. Breeding habitat includes spruce and fir forests with rhododendron and broadleaf trees, as well as oak and lower-elevation broadleaf stands near the conifer zone. [2]

Behavior

Movements

The species makes altitudinal movements, breeding higher in summer and descending to lower elevations in winter. [3]

Feeding

Its diet consists mainly of insects and larvae. It forages alone or in pairs in winter but also joins mixed-species flocks. Foraging occurs in the canopy and understory, often involving short hovering or sallies to catch prey in the air—a behavior known as flycatching. [2]

Vocalizations

Two song types are reported: a short trill followed by a lower trill lasting 2–4 seconds, and a longer, varied series of notes that may last several minutes. The call is a sharp, high “pist” or “psit.” [4]

Breeding

Breeding occurs from April to July, with the majority of activity taking place in May and June. The nest is a ball-shaped structure with a side entrance, built by the female from grass, moss, lichen, and birch bark, and lined with feathers. Nests are placed 2–15 m above the ground, usually in conifers. Clutches contain 3–5 eggs, most often four. The female incubates the eggs, and both adults feed the young. [2]

Conservation

The Lemon-rumped Warbler is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. [5] It is widespread across the Himalayas with stable populations. Much of its range lies within protected areas, and no major threats are currently reported. [5] Localized logging or habitat alteration may affect populations, but the species is able to adapt to a range of montane forests. [5]

References


  1. BirdLife International (2018). "Phylloscopus chloronotus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018 e.T22734370A132182452. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22734370A132182452.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Lemon-rumped Warbler (Phylloscopus chloronotus)". Birds of the World. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Lemon-rumped Warbler – Species Map". eBird. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 "Phylloscopus chloronotus – Avibase". Avibase – the World Bird Database. Bird Studies Canada / BirdLife International. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 "Phylloscopus chloronotus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 13 October 2025.