Phylloscopidae – Leaf Warblers & Allies
Phylloscopidae (Leaf Warblers) is a quite recently (2006) designated family of small insectivorous passerines formerly placed among the huge Old-World Sylviidea warbler family. Phylloscopidae contains just a single genus, the eighty-strong, Phylloscopus. The leaf warblers are a branch of the Old-World warblers; one of ten or more branches that sprouted from the break-up of the Sylviidae after detailed DNA studies. Its members occur in Eurasia, ranging into Wallacea and Africa (and the Arctic warbler breeding east into Alaska). Most live in forest and scrub, forage restlessly on branches or leaves and frequently catch food on the wing. They often flick their wings and hop rapidly in pursuit of prey.
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Two-barred Warbler Phylloscopus plumbeitarsus |
Tickell’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus affinis |
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Timor Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus presbytes |
Hume’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus humei |
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All photos on this page courtesy of ©Nick Ludovic Green Bird-Photo-Tours ASIA (Unless otherwise attributed) |
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The species are of various sizes, although generally small with adult body masses that can vary from 3.5 to 17 g and in some cases, such as the Chinese Leaf Warbler, are among the lightest passerines anywhere. Several of the larger species are similar in size including the Large-billed Leaf Warbler, Radde’s Warbler and Pale-Legged Leaf Warbler. Their total length can vary from 9 to 14.5 cm.
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| Large-billed Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus magnirostris |
Smoky Warbler Phylloscopus fuligiventer |
They often have green-plumaged above and yellow below, or even more subdued with greyish-green to greyish-brown colours, varying little or not at all with the seasons. The tails are not very long and contain twelve feathers (unlike the similar Abroscopus species, which have ten tail feathers). Many species are more easily identified by their distinctive songs than their similar plumage. Helpfully, some have wing-bars, eyestripes or caps of a different colour. However, much of their song is simple buzzing or repetitive trills.
Gansu Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus kansuensis
Limestone Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus calciatilis
The Phylloscopidae comprises many small tree-loving warbler species. Many are canopy or sub-canopy dwellers, gleaning insects from leaves or catching food on the wing. There are many species breeding at temperate and high latitudes in Eurasia that migrate substantial distances to winter in southeast Asia, India, or Africa. An example is Tickell’s Leaf Warbler, which breeds in scrub at high elevation in the Himalayas and on the Tibetan Plateau and then moves downslope and south to winter in the Himalayan foothills of India and Burma.
Martens’s Warbler Phylloscopus omeiensis – ©Dubi Shapiro
Chinese Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus yunnanensis – ©Dubi Shapiro
Most species are markedly territorial both in their breeding and wintering homes. Although they spend most of their time foraging in tree crowns, they generally place their nests low, near, or even on the ground. Generally breeding in Eurasia building domed nests of grass in well-concealed spots in trees, bushes. On average they lay four to nine eggs and both parents share parenting, with nestlings fledging from ten to twenty-two days.
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Number of bird species: 80
(As at January 2026)
According to the recently (2025) amalgamated AviList, there are eighty species, in just a single genus in the Phylloscopidae family. They are:
Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix
Western Bonelli’s Warbler Phylloscopus bonelli
Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler Phylloscopus orientalis
Buff-barred Warbler Phylloscopus pulcher
Ashy-throated Warbler Phylloscopus maculipennis
Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus
Hume’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus humei
Brooks’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus subviridis
Chinese Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus yunnanensis
Pallas’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus proregulus
Gansu Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus kansuensis
Sichuan Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus forresti
Lemon-rumped Warbler Phylloscopus chloronotus
Tytler’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus tytleri
Radde’s Warbler Phylloscopus schwarzi
Yellow-streaked Warbler Phylloscopus armandii
Sulphur-bellied Warbler Phylloscopus griseolus
Tickell’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus affinis
Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus
Smoky Warbler Phylloscopus fuligiventer
Plain Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus neglectus
Buff-throated Warbler Phylloscopus subaffinis
Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus
Mountain Chiffchaff Phylloscopus sindianus
Canary Islands Chiffchaff Phylloscopus canariensis
Iberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus ibericus
Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita
Eastern Crowned Warbler Phylloscopus coronatus
Ijima’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus ijimae
Philippine Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus olivaceus
Lemon-throated Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus cebuensis
Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler Phylloscopus ruficapilla
Brown Woodland Warbler Phylloscopus umbrovirens
Uganda Woodland Warbler Phylloscopus budongoensis
Black-capped Woodland Warbler Phylloscopus herberti
Red-faced Woodland Warbler Phylloscopus laetus
Laura’s Woodland Warbler Phylloscopus laurae
Green-crowned Warbler Phylloscopus burkii
Grey-crowned Warbler Phylloscopus tephrocephalus
Grey-cheeked Warbler Phylloscopus poliogenys
White-spectacled Warbler Phylloscopus intermedius
Martens’s Warbler Phylloscopus omeiensis
Alström’s Warbler Phylloscopus soror
Bianchi’s Warbler Phylloscopus valentini
Whistler’s Warbler Phylloscopus whistleri
Emei Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus emeiensis
Green Warbler Phylloscopus nitidus
Two-barred Warbler Phylloscopus plumbeitarsus
Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides
Large-billed Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus magnirostris
Pale-legged Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus tenellipes
Sakhalin Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus borealoides
Japanese Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus xanthodryas
Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis
Kamchatka Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus examinandus
Chestnut-crowned Warbler Phylloscopus castaniceps
Sunda Warbler Phylloscopus grammiceps
Yellow-breasted Warbler Phylloscopus montis
Limestone Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus calciatilis
Sulphur-breasted Warbler Phylloscopus ricketti
Yellow-vented Warbler Phylloscopus cantator
Western Crowned Warbler Phylloscopus occipitalis
Blyth’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus reguloides
Claudia’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus claudiae
Hartert’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus goodsoni
Hainan Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus hainanus
Kloss’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus ogilviegranti
Davison’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus intensior
Grey-hooded Warbler Phylloscopus xanthoschistos
Rote Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus rotiensis
Mountain Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus trivirgatus
Timor Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus presbytes
Negros Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus nigrorum
Lompobattang Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus sarasinorum
Sulawesi Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus nesophilous
Kolombangara Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus amoenus
Numfor Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus maforensis
Biak Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus misoriensis
Makira Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus makirensis
Island Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus poliocephalus
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British Warblers
| By Eric Simms | HarperCollins | 2009 | Hardback | 438 pages, 6 plates with colour illustrations; 177 b/w photos, b/w illustrations, and b/w maps; 28 tables | ISBN: 9780007308460 Buy this book from NHBS.com
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Phylloscopidae
Family AccountA number of very small songbirds that forage with restless motion on or just above branches and leaves for small insects, often flicking their wings. -
Phylloscopidae
Family AccountLeaf warblers were formerly included in the Old World warbler family but are now considered to belong to the family Phylloscopidae, introduced in 2006.
Given the number of species in this family, Fatbirder does not provide quick links to all of them. However, the entries below do include links to all those illustrated and some of the most often encountered, iconic or sought-after species.
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Chinese Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus yunnanensis
Species AccountThe Chinese leaf warbler (Phylloscopus yunnanensis) is a species of Old World warbler in the family Phylloscopidae. -
Chinese Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus yunnanensis
Species AccountSound archive and distribution map. -
Gansu Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus kansuensis
Species AccountThe Gansu leaf warbler (Phylloscopus kansuensis) is a small passerine bird known only from China. It belongs to the leaf warbler genus Phylloscopus. -
Gansu Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus kansuensis
Species AccountSound archive and distribution map. -
Hume's Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus humei
Species AccountHume's leaf warbler or Hume's warbler (Phylloscopus humei) is a small leaf warbler which breeds in the mountains of inner Asia. -
Hume's Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus humei
Species AccountSound archive and distribution map. -
Large-billed Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus magnirostris
Species AccountThe large-billed leaf warbler (Phylloscopus magnirostris) is a species of migratory leaf warbler (family Phylloscopidae) found in Asia. -
Large-billed Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus magnirostris
Species AccountSound archive and distribution map. -
Limestone Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus calciatilis
Species AccountThe limestone leaf warbler (Phylloscopus calciatilis) is smaller than the sulphur-breasted warbler (Phylloscopus ricketti) and has more rounded wings... -
Limestone Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus calciatilis
Species AccountSound archive and distribution map. -
Martens's Warbler Phylloscopus omeiensis
Species AccountMartens's warbler (Phylloscopus omeiensis), also known as Omei warbler or Emei Shan warbler, is a species of Old World warbler in the family Phylloscopidae. -
Martens's Warbler Phylloscopus omeiensis
Species AccountSound archive and distribution map. -
Mountain Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus trivirgatus
Species AccountSound archive and distribution map. -
Mountain Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus trivirgatus
Species AccountThe mountain leaf warbler (Phylloscopus trivirgatus) is a songbird species from the leaf warbler family (Phylloscopidae). -
Smoky Warbler Phylloscopus fuligiventer
Species AccountThe smoky warbler (Phylloscopus fuligiventer) is a species of Old World warbler in the family Phylloscopidae. It is found in the eastern Himalayas... -
Smoky Warbler Phylloscopus fuligiventer
Species AccountSound archive and distribution map. -
Tickell's Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus affinis
Species AccountTickell's leaf warbler (Phylloscopus affinis) is a leaf warbler found in Asia in the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan... -
Tickell's Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus affinis
Species AccountSound archive and distribution map. -
Timor Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus presbytes
Species AccountThe Timor leaf warbler (Phylloscopus presbytes) is a species of Old World warbler in the family Phylloscopidae. It is found on the islands of Timor and... -
Timor Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus presbytes
Species AccountSound archive and distribution map. -
Two-barred Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides
Species AccountThe greenish warbler (Phylloscopus trochiloides) is a widespread leaf warbler with a breeding range in northeastern Europe and temperate to subtropical continental Asia. This warbler is strongly migratory and winters in India. It is not uncommon as a spring or early autumn vagrant in Western Europe and is annually seen in Great Britain. -
Two-barred Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides
Species AccountSound archive and distribution map. -
Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix
Species AccountThe wood warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix) is a common and widespread leaf warbler which breeds throughout northern and temperate Europe... -
Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix
Species AccountSound archive and distribution map. -
Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler Phylloscopus ruficapilla
Species AccountThe yellow-throated woodland warbler (Phylloscopus ruficapilla) is a species of Old World warbler (the Phylloscopidae family). It is found in Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. -
Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler Phylloscopus ruficapilla
Species AccountSound archive and distribution map.