Leaf warblers · Perching birds
Arctic Warbler
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Phylloscopus borealis
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How to recognize it
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Greyish-green above, off-white below
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Single pale wing bar
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Slim, 11.5–13 cm, with projecting primary feathers
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Song: fast trill
About the species
The Arctic Warbler stays plain at a glance, with a greenish back, pale underparts, and a single wing bar. Its bill looks a little heavier than many similar leaf warblers, and the shape is more useful to notice than the color.
It keeps moving through birch woods and mixed forest near water, often high in the trees. The song is a fast trill, and the species spends much of the year on the move between its breeding grounds and wintering areas in southeast Asia.
It nests on the ground in a low shrub and feeds on insects. In migration, it travels far beyond its breeding range, and it turns up as a stray in western Europe and, less often, in Britain.
Where to find
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In mature parks with birches and mixed tree cover — look to the canopy for a fast, trilling song.
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Along pond edges and canal banks — it works the reed-fringed shrubs right at the waterline for insects.
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In quiet green squares with low undergrowth — it can burst up from the grass, since it nests on the ground.
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In autumn on the city edge, in young birch stands near vacant lots — watch for short flits between bushes and trees.
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Phylloscopus borealis Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Arctic warbler Encyclopedia article