ID Keys: Long cream-colored eyebrow, greenish upperparts, pale
underparts, two pale wingbars,
The
Yellow-browed Warbler (also kinown as the Inornate Warbler) is a very small
songbird of Eurasia. Their normal range during the summer months is
primarily in Sibera, while they overwinter in southern and southeastern
Asia. While most birds are found in eastern Asia in both summer and winter,
it is a species that is prone to wander, with small numbers appearing as far
as western Europe every Autumn. In North America they are vagrants,
with several sightings on the islands and coastlines of Alaska.
Habitat
Found in a variety of broad-leaf forest
and woodland habitats.
Diet
Feeds on insects and spiders
Behavior
A very active forager, moving
sporadically through vegetation as it searches for insects. They may
feed in the forest canopy, but will also feed in thickets and shrubs or on
the ground.
Nesting
The nest of a Yellow-browed Warbler is a
dome made of grasses, moss, and other plant material, with the opening on
the side. The nest is placed on the ground, typically placed against
the base of a clump of grass or other vegetation, or amidst protective
roots. The female lays 4-6 eggs, and she alone incubates them.
The eggs hatch after 12 or 13 days, with both parents feeding the young.
Song
The call is a surprisingly sharp and loud
for such a tiny bird, and is comprised of two syllables. The song is a
thin, high-pitched series of whistles.
Migration
Strongly migratory, breeding in Siberia
and overwintering in southeastern Asia.
In the Old World they are possibly confused with other small songbirds, but
vagrants in North America are relatively distinct. Their tiny size and
active movements may make them difficult to distinguish from other small
active birds in North America, such as
Ruby-crowned Kinglet.
