Sulphur-bellied Warbler

Phylloscopus griseolus

The tenacious songster expertly navigates steep rocky hillsides from Kashmir to Nepal, flashing its distinctive pale yellow underparts as it forages for insects.

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Visual Identification

Appearance

The Sulphur-bellied Warbler is a small warbler with brown upperparts and bright yellow underside. It has a distinctive bright yellow stripe above the eye (supercilium) and a dark eyestripe. The underparts are lemon-yellow, becoming more buff-coloured on the flanks.

Both sexes look similar. Juveniles closely resemble adults but are slightly warmer brown above and have duller yellow below with more buff colouring on the breast.

Size

Length

11cm to 12cm

Wingspan

16cm to 18cm

Weight

7g to 10g

Colours

Males and females have similar plumage

Primary Colour

Brown

Secondary Colour

Yellow Buff

Beak Colour

Brown

Leg Colour

Brown

Habitat and Distribution

Habitats

Woodland

The Sulphur-bellied Warbler can be found in Woodland habitats.

Garden

The Sulphur-bellied Warbler is not typically found in Garden habitats.

Wetland

The Sulphur-bellied Warbler is not typically found in Wetland habitats.

Coastal

The Sulphur-bellied Warbler is not typically found in Coastal habitats.

Urban

The Sulphur-bellied Warbler is not typically found in Urban habitats.

Farmland

The Sulphur-bellied Warbler is not typically found in Farmland habitats.

Grassland

The Sulphur-bellied Warbler is not typically found in Grassland habitats.

Desert

The Sulphur-bellied Warbler is not typically found in Desert habitats.

Tundra

The Sulphur-bellied Warbler is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

Rainforest

The Sulphur-bellied Warbler is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

Mountain

The Sulphur-bellied Warbler can be found in Mountain habitats.

Savanna

The Sulphur-bellied Warbler is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Distribution

This species inhabits mountainous regions across Central and South Asia, from Afghanistan and Pakistan east to central China. It prefers coniferous and mixed forests with dense undergrowth at elevations between 1,000 and 5,240 meters.

During the breeding season, it is found at higher elevations, moving to lower altitudes in winter. There has been one rare vagrant recorded in Devon in the UK, recorded in 2021.

Elevation Range

1,000 to 5,240 meters

Climate zones

Temperate, Subtropical

Distribution Map

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Sulphur-bellied Warbler. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons