Yoshiki Watabe's Japanese Phylloscopus warblers site

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English Name : Willow Warbler
Scientific Name : Phylloscopus trochilus

Japanese Name : Kita-yanagi-mushikui

Page 1

Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus was described by Linnaeus as Motacilla Trochilus in 1758. Willow Warbler includes 3 subspecies; P. t. trochilus, acredula, and yakutensis.
The Willow Warbler that have been recorded in Japan is ssp. yakutensis(the Committe for Check-List of Japanese Birds 2000). The first record for Japan was in October 1981, Fukuoka Prefecture. In Japan, Willow Warbler is recorded almost annually, while the Committe for Check-List of Japanese Birds (2000) described only above record. The recorded site is on the islands in the Sea of Japan mainly. It have been recorded almost in autumn(from September to November) and very rare in spring in Japan. In my knowledge, there have been no winter records.

Reference
The Committe for Check-List of Japanese Birds(ed.) 2000. Check-List of Japanese Birds sixth revised edition. Ornithological Society of Japan, Obihiro.

1. 15 November 1993
Wajima-shi, Ishikawa Prefecture

It have no wing-bar and long primary projection, while Chiffchaff have short primary projection. The supercilium has yellowish ting. It have rather bland facial expression because of rather pale eye stripe, compared with 3 common Phylloscopus warblers; Arctic, Eastern Crowned, and Sakhalin Leaf Warblers. The legs are dark in ssp. yakutensis. Ssp. yakutensis is similar to Chiffchaff. more than European subspecies.
2. 15 November 1993
Wajima-shi, Ishikawa Prefecture

The same bird as picture No.1
Note the long tail. It often flicks the tail downwards when it parches.
The base of the lower mandible is yellowish, while Chiffchaff which have been recorded in Japan have almost all black mandibles.
The shape of supercilium have variation. The supercilium of this individual is straight..
The call is 'hoeet'.
3. 15 November 1993
Wajima-shi, Ishikawa Prefecture

The same bird as picture No.1 and 2. The top of the head is usually flat compared with Chiffchaff, but it sometimes looks like more round.
4. 5 September 2000
Wajima-shi, Ishikawa Prefecture

Comparing to the above individual, the feathers are fresh and have more yellow-tinged colloration.
5. 5 September 2000
Wajima-shi, Ishikawa Prefecture

The same bird as picture No.4. The eye stripe is more blackish than the individual on pics No.1-3. The supercilium is broad in front of the eye.
6. 19 September 1998
Wajima-shi, Ishikawa Prefecture

The supercilium of this individual is broadest above the eye.
7. 19 September 1998
Wajima-shi, Ishikawa Prefecture

The same bird as picture No.6. The undertail coverts heve no yellow tinged colloration.
8. 16 October 1998
Wajima-shi, Ishikawa Prefecture

The eye stripe of this individual is blackish, but thin. The bill is rather short.

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inserted by FC2 system