Pallas's leaf warbler or Pallas's warbler, is a bird that breeds in mountain forests from southern Siberia east to northern Mongolia and northeast China. It is named after the German zoologist Peter Simon Pallas, who first formally described it. This leaf warbler is strongly migratory, wintering mainly in south China and adjacent areas of southeast Asia, although in recent decades increasing numbers have been found in Europe in autumn.
Region
East Palearctic
Typical Environment
Breeds in montane coniferous forests from southern Siberia east through northern Mongolia to northeastern China. It favors larch, spruce, and pine with dense undergrowth, including dwarf conifers. In winter it moves to southern China and adjacent parts of Southeast Asia, using subtropical broadleaf woodland, forest edges, scrub, parks, and gardens. During migration it passes through a variety of wooded habitats and can appear as a scarce vagrant in Europe.
Altitude Range
500–2800 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Among the smallest Old World warblers, Pallas's leaf warbler is remarkably active, flicking its wings and showing a distinctive lemon-yellow rump. It breeds in cold, montane conifer forests and undertakes long migrations to spend winters in milder East and Southeast Asia. In autumn it is a notable vagrant to Europe, where its high, thin calls often reveal its presence.
Pallas's leaf warbler on Heligoland, Germany
Showing head stripes. Wintering bird at Treviso, Italy.
Siberian taiga woodland
![From John Gould's 1837 illustration of "Dalmatian Regulus"[b]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/35/Dalmatian_regulus_gould.jpg/1280px-Dalmatian_regulus_gould.jpg)
From John Gould's 1837 illustration of "Dalmatian Regulus"[b]
Temperament
highly active and restless
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with agile, darting movements
Social Behavior
Territorial in the breeding season, forming monogamous pairs that nest low in dense conifers or shrubs. Outside breeding, it often joins mixed-species flocks with other small insectivores. Both parents feed the young, and family groups may remain together briefly after fledging.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
Song is a series of very high, thin, tinkling phrases with buzzy trills, delivered in rapid sequence. The call is a sharp, penetrating 'tsii' or 'tseeu', often the first clue to its presence. Notes are insect-like and carry well through foliage.
