search

The Wood Warbler is slightly larger than Willow Warbler; has more dense constitution, longer wings and shorter tail. It is distinguished from other Leaf Warbler by the bright coloring; it has green upperparts especially rump and uppertail; yellow supercilium, chin, throat (often yellow extended to upper breast and flanks); breast (or only under breast), abdomen and undertail are clear white. The flight feathers have yellow edges; these edges are very bright, yellowish-white or pale-yellow on tertials. There are not wing bars. Legs are brownish-buffy or olive-buffy, light. Juveniles in first plumage are similar on adults, but have more loose plumage; upperparts are more brownish; yellow on breast is less. The autumn juveniles are more yellow above but basically resemble adults. The wing form: 1st primary is narrow, shorter or equal than coverts (but in case of longer that not more than on 1 mm); 2nd primary is longer than 5th one. Weight 7-13 г, length 12-16, wing 6,8-8,1, wingspan 20-24 cm.

Distribution

The Wood Warbler breeds in Southern Altai on Markakol lake. Singing males were observed at Akmola (mid-June); in upper reach of Bukhtarma river near Archaty village (26 June 1977); and in Ural delta (2 June 1993). On migration it occurs in Ustyurt. Single birds recorded near Dzhanybek settle in Western Kazakhstan; at Aralsk; in lower of Turgay river; in Kurgaldzhino Reserve; in Karaganda; in Ust-Kamenogorsk; on Sasykkol lake; in Almaty; and in Western Tien Shan, in Aksu-Dzhabagly and at Chokpak Pass (10 and 15 September 1975, 30 October 1976 and 17 September 2002).

Biology

The Wood Warbler is very rare breeding migrant, in places rare passage migrant. It inhabits the deciduous and pine forests, and the clearings in the light birch forests on Altai. On migration it occurs in foothills, in forest-belts, gardens and groves. It appears in end April – late May, in Talasskiy Alatau one male shot 21 May 1962. Latest migrants recorded on early June. Nest is built always on the ground in the not dense and not tall grass, usually under the bush, windfalls. Clutch of 4-7 eggs is probably in mid-June, as hatched juveniles recorded in early July. One brood with four fledglings observed 12 July 1982. Autumn migration passes in end July – August. Latest birds recorded on mid-October.

References

Gavrilov E. I., Gavrilov A. E. "The Birds of Kazakhstan". Almaty, 2005.
В.К.Рябицев. "Птицы Урала, Приуралья и Западной Сибири". Екатеринбург, Изд-во Уральского университета, 2000.
Э.И.Гаврилов. "Фауна и распространение птиц Казахстана". Алматы, 1999.