The Kolombangara leaf warbler or sombre leaf warbler is a species of Old World warbler in the family Phylloscopidae. It is found only in Solomon Islands. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Region
Solomon Islands
Typical Environment
Restricted to the montane and cloud forests of Kolombangara Island. It favors dense, moist, moss-laden forest with abundant epiphytes and tangled understory. Birds are most frequently encountered along ridgelines, in gullies, and near small forest openings where insect prey is concentrated. It may utilize adjacent secondary growth if close to intact native forest but generally avoids plantations and heavily disturbed areas.
Altitude Range
700–1700 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also known as the sombre leaf warbler, this small insect-eater is confined to high-elevation forests on Kolombangara in the Solomon Islands. It forages nimbly among mossy branches and often joins mixed-species flocks. Ongoing habitat loss and degradation from logging threaten its limited range, making intact montane forest crucial for its survival.
Temperament
active and wary
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with quick flits between foliage
Social Behavior
Often forages singly or in pairs and readily joins mixed-species flocks. During breeding, pairs defend small territories in dense montane forest. The nest is a small cup hidden in mossy vegetation or low shrubs, and both adults likely attend the young.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Delivers high, thin trills and sibilant sequences, often a fast, repetitive seee-see-see series. Contact calls are sharp, high tsip notes given while foraging in the canopy and midstory.
