Includes: Penleng Leaf Warbler, Taliabu Leaf Warbler, North Moluccan Leaf Warbler, Buru Leaf Warbler, Seram Leaf Warbler, Kai Leaf Warbler, Halmahera Leaf Warbler, Bacan Leaf Warbler
- Phylloscopus poliocephalus
Phylloscopus maforensis
Identification
- Small warbler with a pale eyebrow
- Dull greenish back.
- White throat.
- Yellowish underparts.
Sometimes has a faint central crown stripe, and may show an indistinct wingbar.
Similar Species
Arctic Warbler, Japanese Leaf Warbler, and Kamchatka Leaf Warblers are larger, less yellow underneath, and paler above, and never show a central crown stripe.
Distribution
Asia and Australasia
Southeast Asia: found in Indonesia, Greater Sundas, Sulawesi, Moluccas, New Guinea
Australasia: New Guinea, Melanesia, Solomon Islands
Taxonomy
Taxonomy complex and unresolved. Reference [3] elevates the following subspecies to specific status: suaramerdu as "Penleng Leaf Warbler" (P. suaramerdu), emilsalimi as "Taliabu Leaf Warbler" (P. emilsalimi), henrietta and waterstradti as "North Moluccan Leaf Warbler" (P. waterstradti), everetti as "Buru Leaf Warbler" (P. everetti), ceramensis as "Seram Leaf Warbler" (P. ceramensis) and avicola as "Kai Leaf Warbler" (P. avicola). It notes that henrietta may warrant elevation itself as "Halmahera Leaf Warbler" (P. henrietta) leaving waterstradti as "Bacan Leaf Warbler" (P. waterstradti).
Numfor Leaf Warbler and Biak Leaf Warbler were recently split from this species.
Subspecies
There are 19 subspecies [1], many of which may be better treated as species:
- P. p. suaramerdu: "Penleng Leaf Warbler". Peleng (Banggai Islands)
- P. p. emilsalimi: "Taliabu Leaf Warbler". Taliabu (Sula Islands)
- P. p. henrietta: "North Moluccan Leaf Warbler". Northern Moluccas (Halmahera and Ternate)
- P. p. waterstradti: "North Moluccan Leaf Warbler". Moluccas (Bacan and Obi)
- P. p. everetti: "Buru Leaf Warbler". Buru (southern Moluccas)
- P. p. ceramensis: "Seram Leaf Warbler". Southern Moluccas (Seram and Ambon)
- P. p. avicola: "Kai Leaf Warbler". Kai Besar Island (Kai Islands)
- P. p. poliocephalus: North-western New Guinea (Tamrau, Arfak and Wandammen mountains)
- P. p. albigularis: West-central New Guinea (Weyland Mountains)
- P. p. paniaiae: West-central New Guinea (Wissel Lakes region)
- P. p. cyclopum: Northern New Guinea (Cyclops Mountains)
- P. p. giulianettii: New Guinea (Snow, Sepik, Saruwaged and Herzog mountains)
- P. p. hamlini: Goodenough Island (D'Entrecasteaux Archipelago)
- P. p. matthiae: Bismarck Archipelago (Mussau)
- P. p. moorhousei: Bismarck Archipelago (New Britain and Umboi)
- P. p. leletensis New Ireland (Bismarck Archipelago)
- P. p. becki: Solomon Islands (Guadalcanal, Santa Isabel and Malaita)
- P. p. bougainvillei: Bougainville (Solomon Islands)
- P. p. pallescens: Kulambangra (Solomon Islands)
Habitat
Lowland and hill forest.
Behaviour
Often with mixed-species flocks gleaning insects from leaves.
Vocalizations
Song is a very variable high-pitched warble mixed with twittering phrases.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2021. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2021. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Avibase
- Eaton, JA, B van Balen, NW Brickle, FE Rheindt 2021. Birds of the Indonesian Archipelago (Greater Sundas and Wallacea), Second Edition. Lynx Editions. ISBN978-84-16728-44-2
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Island Leaf Warbler. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 11 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Island_Leaf_Warbler
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1
