Davison's leaf warbler or the white-tailed leaf warbler, is a species of leaf warbler. It was formerly included in the "Old World warbler" assemblage.
Region
Southeast Asia
Typical Environment
Primarily inhabits hill and montane evergreen forests of southern Myanmar (Tenasserim Hills) and adjacent western Thailand, with occurrences in nearby ranges where suitable habitat persists. It favors dense undergrowth, bamboo, and rhododendron thickets along forested slopes and ridges. Birds may move locally with the seasons, shifting downslope during cooler or resource-scarce periods. Human disturbance is tolerated poorly, so it is most frequent in relatively intact forest.
Altitude Range
600–2500 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also called the white-tailed leaf warbler, it shows distinctive white panels in the tail that flash in flight—unusual among leaf warblers. It was formerly lumped within the broad “Old World warbler” group and is part of a cryptic complex that has seen taxonomic revisions. It often joins mixed-species flocks and can be detected by its thin, high-pitched trills.
Phylloscopus intensior in South Vietnam
Temperament
active and somewhat skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly or in pairs, frequently associating with mixed-species flocks of small insectivores. Nests are typically domed or cup-like and placed low in dense vegetation or on the ground. Pairs are seasonal and territorial during breeding.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
Song is a series of thin, high-pitched trills and sibilant notes, often accelerating slightly. Calls are sharp, metallic tsee or seee notes that carry through dense foliage.
Plumage
Olive-green upperparts with yellowish wash, paler yellow-whitish underparts, and a clean, strong pale supercilium over a darker eye-stripe. Tail shows distinctive white wedges/panels on the outer feathers, most visible in flight. Wings have subdued pale edging and the overall feathering is sleek and fine.
Diet
Feeds mainly on small arthropods such as beetles, caterpillars, spiders, and aphids. Gleans prey from leaves and twigs with quick, precise movements and occasionally hawks short distances for flying insects. During cooler seasons it may broaden its prey spectrum to include more spiders and soft-bodied larvae.
Preferred Environment
Forages in the understorey to mid-canopy of dense evergreen and bamboo thickets, often along forest edges and streams. Frequently joins mixed flocks to exploit disturbed foliage and flush hidden insects.
