The buff-throated warbler is a species of leaf warbler. It was formerly included in the "Old World warbler" assemblage.
Region
Central China and northern Southeast Asia
Typical Environment
Breeds in central and southwestern China, especially in montane broadleaf and mixed forests with dense undergrowth and bamboo. In winter it moves south to northern Southeast Asia, using evergreen and semi-evergreen forests, forest edges, and shrubby secondary growth. It also occurs in wooded ravines, thickets, and bamboo stands. During migration it can appear in parks, gardens, and riparian vegetation.
Altitude Range
300–3200 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A small leaf warbler, the buff-throated warbler breeds in montane forests of China and winters in northern mainland Southeast Asia. It forages actively among leaves and twigs, often joining mixed-species flocks in the nonbreeding season. Its soft, high-pitched song and distinctive buff-colored throat help separate it from similar Phylloscopus warblers.
Buff-throated Warbler in Mandala Top, West Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh, India
Temperament
active and restless
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually solitary or in pairs while breeding, becoming more gregarious in the nonbreeding season when it joins mixed-species flocks. Breeding pairs are territorial; the nest is a cup concealed low in dense vegetation or on the ground. Both parents typically feed the young.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
Song is a series of thin, high-pitched trills and tinkling phrases, delivered from cover or mid-canopy. Calls include sharp, sibilant 'tsee' or 'tsit' notes, often repeated as it forages.
Plumage
Olive-green upperparts with paler whitish underparts and a warm buff throat. Prominent pale supercilium and a dark eye-stripe; typically shows two faint to clear pale wingbars. Fine, slender bill and relatively plain crown and mantle.
Diet
Feeds mainly on small insects and their larvae, including moths, beetles, and flies, as well as spiders. Gleans prey from leaf surfaces, buds, and twigs, and occasionally hover-gleans to pick items from foliage. May take tiny berries opportunistically but remains strongly insectivorous.
Preferred Environment
Forages in the understory to mid-canopy of broadleaf and mixed forests, bamboo thickets, and shrubby edges. In winter it also uses secondary growth, gardens, and forest margins where insect activity is high.
