Leaf warblers are small insectivorous birds belonging mainly to the genus Phylloscopus. They were formerly included in the Old World warbler family but are now considered to belong to the Phylloscopidae, a family created in 2006. The genus is closely related to Seicercus and some species have been moved between the two genera in recent classification attempts. Leaf warblers are active, constantly moving, often flicking their wings as they glean the foliage for insects along the branches of trees and bushes. They forage at various levels within forests, from the top canopy to the understorey. Most of the species are markedly territorial both in their summer and winter quarters.

Most are greenish or brownish above and off-white or yellowish below. Compared to some other "warblers", their songs are very simple

Species breeding in temperate regions are usually strongly migratory.

The species traditionally placed in Phylloscopus are:

• Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Phylloscopus laetus
• Laura's Woodland Warbler, Phylloscopus laurae
• Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler, Phylloscopus ruficapilla
• Uganda Woodland Warbler, Phylloscopus budongoensis
• Brown Woodland Warbler, Phylloscopus umbrovirens
• Black-capped Woodland Warbler, Phylloscopus herberti
• Willow Warbler, Phylloscopus trochilus
• Canary Islands Chiffchaff, Phylloscopus canariensis
  • Eastern Canary Islands Chiffchaff, Phylloscopus canariensis exsul (extinct: 1986?)
  • Western Canary Islands Chiffchaff, Phylloscopus canariensis canariensis
• Common Chiffchaff, Phylloscopus collybita
  • Siberian Chiffchaff, Phylloscopus (collybita) tristis
• Iberian Chiffchaff, Phylloscopus brehmii
• Mountain Chiffchaff, Phylloscopus sindianus
• Plain Leaf Warbler, Phylloscopus neglectus
• Western Bonelli's Warbler, Phylloscopus bonelli
• Eastern Bonelli's Warbler, Phylloscopus orientalis
• Wood Warbler, Phylloscopus sibilatrix
• Dusky Warbler, Phylloscopus fuscatus
• Smoky Warbler, Phylloscopus fuligiventer
• Tickell's Leaf Warbler, Phylloscopus affinis
• Alpine Leaf Warbler, Phylloscopus occisinensis
• Buff-throated Warbler, Phylloscopus subaffinis
• Sulphur-bellied Warbler, Phylloscopus griseolus
• Yellow-streaked Warbler, Phylloscopus armandii
• Radde's Warbler, Phylloscopus schwarzi
• Buff-barred Warbler, Phylloscopus pulcher
• Ashy-throated Warbler, Phylloscopus maculipennis
• Pallas's Leaf Warbler, Phylloscopus proregulus
• Lemon-rumped Warbler, Phylloscopus chloronotus
  • Simla Leaf Warbler, Phylloscopus (chloronotus) simlaensis
• Gansu Leaf Warbler, Phylloscopus kansuensis
• Chinese Leaf Warbler, Phylloscopus yunnanensis – P. sichuanensis is a junior synonym
• Brooks's Leaf Warbler, Phylloscopus subviridis
• Yellow-browed Warbler, Phylloscopus inornatus
• Hume's Leaf Warbler, Phylloscopus humei – formerly in P. inornatus
  • Mandell's Leaf Warbler, Phylloscopus (humei) mandelli
• Arctic Warbler, Phylloscopus borealis
  • Kamchatka Leaf Warbler, Phylloscopus (borealis) examinandus^[1]
  • Japanese Leaf Warbler, Phylloscopus (borealis) xanthodryas^[1]
• Greenish Warbler, Phylloscopus trochiloides
  • Dull-green Warbler, Phylloscopus (trochiloides) obscuratus
  • Two-barred Warbler, Phylloscopus (trochiloides) plumbeitarsus
  • Western Greenish Warbler, Phylloscopus (trochiloides) viridanus
• Green Warbler, Phylloscopus nitidus
• Pale-legged Leaf Warbler, Phylloscopus tenellipes
• Sakhalin Leaf Warbler, Phylloscopus borealoides
• Large-billed Leaf Warbler, Phylloscopus magnirostris
• Tytler's Leaf Warbler, Phylloscopus tytleri
• Western Crowned Warbler, Phylloscopus occipitalis
• Eastern Crowned Warbler, Phylloscopus coronatus
• Ijima's Leaf Warbler, Phylloscopus ijimae
• Blyth's Leaf Warbler, Phylloscopus reguloides
• Claudia's Leaf Warbler, Phylloscopus claudiae
• Hartert's Leaf Warbler, Phylloscopus goodsoni
• Emei Leaf Warbler, Phylloscopus emeiensis
• Davison's Leaf Warbler, Phylloscopus davisoni
• Kloss's Leaf Warbler, Phylloscopus ogilviegranti
• Hainan Leaf Warbler, Phylloscopus hainanus
• Sichuan Leaf Warbler, Phylloscopus forresti
• Yellow-vented Warbler, Phylloscopus cantator
• Limestone Leaf Warbler, Phylloscopus calciatilis
• Sulphur-breasted Warbler, Phylloscopus ricketti
• Lemon-throated Leaf Warbler, Phylloscopus cebuensis
• Mountain Leaf Warbler, Phylloscopus trivirgatus
• Sulawesi Leaf Warbler, Phylloscopus sarasinorum
• Timor Leaf Warbler, Phylloscopus presbytes
• Island Leaf Warbler, Phylloscopus poliocephalus
• Philippine Leaf Warbler, Phylloscopus olivaceus
• Makira Leaf Warbler, Phylloscopus makirensis
• Kolombangara Leaf Warbler, Phylloscopus amoenus
• Grey-hooded Warbler, Phylloscopus xanthoschistos

References [edit]

• Alström, Per; Ericson, Per G.P.; Olsson, Urban & Sundberg, Per (2006): Phylogeny and classification of the avian superfamily Sylvioidea. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 38(2): 381–397. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2005.05.015 PMID 16054402
• Badyaev, Alexander V. & Leaf, Elizabeth S. (1997): Habitat associations of song characteristics in Phylloscopus and Hippolais warblers. Auk 114(1): 40-46. PDF fulltext
• Del Hoyo, J.; Elliot, A. & Christie D. (editors). (2006). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 11: Old World Flycatchers to Old World Warblers. Lynx Edicions. ISBN 84-96553-06-X.