English Name : Pale-legged Leaf Warbler
Scientific Name : Phylloscopus tenellipes
Pale-legged Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus tenellipes was described by Swinhoe in 1860 at first. The description was based on
the specimens which had been collected in Amoy ( Hsia-me ), China (Mayr
and Cottrell 1986). Sakhalin Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus borealoides had treated as a subspecies of Pale-legged Leaf Warbler, but recently
it is usually treated as a separate species (see Sakhalin Leaf Warbler's page).
Some Pale-legged Leaf Warbler can pass through Japan annualy, whether many
publications did not describe the record of Pale-legged Leaf Warbler in
Japan. 'Check-list of Japanese Birds sixth revised edtion' (Committee for
Check-list of Japanese Birds 2000) also did not include it. The distribution
and migtation period is almost unknown in Japan. ID criteria between Pale-legged
and Sakhalin Leaf Warblers are also almost unknown except the differences
of the songs.
You can hear the song of Pale-legged Leaf Warbler from the following mp3files.
The song was recorded on 2nd May 2007, Tsushima, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan.
song(long version)467KB
song(short version)169KB
References:
1) Committee for Check-list of Japanese Birds (eds) 2000. Check-list of Japanese Birds. 6th revised edition. The Ornithological Society of Japan, Hokkaido.(in Japanese and English)
2) Mayr, E. & Cottrell, G. W.
(eds.) 1986. Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol.XI. Museum of
Comparative Zoology, Cambrirdge.
I would like to thank the following persons for their suggestions and informations:
Desmond Allen, Mark Brazil, Himaru Iozawa, Bjorn Johansson, Nick Lethaby,
Nial Moores, Akiyoshi Nakamichi, Toshikazu Oonishi, Martin Williams.
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1. 5 May 2005 Ojika island, Kitamatsuura-gun, Nagasaki Prefecture Pale-legged and Sakhalin Leaf Warblers are very similar. So, the identification between both species is very difficult. The songs, however are very distinguishable. Pale-legged's song is thin and silvery, 'see-see-see-see-si-si-sit-si' or 'firi-firi-firi-firi'.given with an upended rhythm. The song of Sakhalin Leaf Warbler is simple three-noted whistle, 'hee-tsoo-kee', that is very distinguish from Pale-legged. The song of Pale-legged is rather similar to Lanceolated Grasshopper Warbler Locustella lanceolata, Asian Stubtail Urosephena squameiceps, or Western Bonellis Warbler Phylloscopus bonelli. I observed a Pale-legged Leaf Warbler in 5 May 2005 on Ojika island, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan.The song of this bird was two types. one is rather low, 'firi-firi-firi-firi-firi', and another is rather high, 'siri-siri-siri-siri-siri". Sometimes the song begin with thin and tinkling, 'chin-chin'. The call was 'pit" that was very similar with Sakhalin Leaf Warbler (possibly higher and weaker than Sakhalin). The pale tip of bill may be more indistinctive than Sakhalin Leaf Warbler |
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2. 5 May 2005 Ojika island, Kitamatsuura-gun, Nagasaki Prefecture The mantle may be more brownish than Sakhalin Leaf Warbler, and contrast of colours between the top of the head and the mantle seems to be usually weaker than Sakhalin Leaf Warbler. But these characters can be change in different light or individuals. The supercilium is long and whitish. The eyebrow is distintive and blackish The underparts were almost white exept pale brown belly in this bird. |
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3. 5 May 2005 Ojika island, Kitamatsuura-gun, Nagasaki Prefecture The collaration of leggs are very similar to Sakhalin. But the leggs of Pale-legged may slightly thinner than Sakhalin. Sakhalin seems to tend to move around on the ground and low bushes, and Pale-legged seems to tend to move on rather higher branch. |
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4. 5 May 2005 Ojika island, Kitamatsuura-gun, Nagasaki Prefecture This picture shows that top of the head is darker than mantle. But in the field, the contrast between the top of the head and the mantle looked like more indistinct. The primary projection is probably shorter than Sakhalin Leaf Warbler. And I receive the information that Pale-legged shows 5 or 6 primary, while Sakhalin shows 7 or 8 primary. |
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5. 5 May 2005 Ojika island, Kitamatsuura-gun, Nagasaki Prefecture In this picture, colour of the top of the head seems to be contrastive darker than mantle. |
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6. 5 May 2005 Ojika island, Kitamatsuura-gun, Nagasaki Prefecture In this picture, the contrast of colours between the top of the head and the mantle is more indistictive than the previous picture. The lump seems slightly rusty coloration. |
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7. 5 May 2005 Ojika island, Kitamatsuura-gun, Nagasaki Prefecture Habitat of the observation area of the former bird. |