Emei Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus emeiensis 峨眉柳鶯
Category I. Accidental.
IDENTIFICATION
Nov. 2015, Michelle and Peter Wong.
11-12 cm. Has prominent pale yellowish supercilium (often broad behind eye), dark eye stripe, pale yellowish mottling on ear coverts, pale median crown stripe poorly marked on forecrown, well-marked yellowish wing-bars on both median and greater coverts separated by dark bases to greater coverts, whitish underparts apart from pale yellow undertail coverts and pale orange lower mandible. Differs from Hartert’s Leaf Warbler by less distinct crown pattern, dark greenish-grey (not blackish) lateral crown stripes and darker median crown stripe at rear (Alström 2020). Voice distinctive (see below).
VOCALISATIONS
The song is a simple resonant trill, which can be heard along with a mixture of other notes of excitement in this recording.
The most frequent call is a rolling ‘chrr-trr’ or similar, usually as a pair of notes but sometimes uttered 3-4 times. This call is very different from congeners in HK.
Also heard in HK is a high-pitched ‘tseep’, similar to a flowerpecker or sunbird (near the beginning of this recording).
DISTRIBUTION & HABITAT PREFERENCE
Occurs in closed-canopy forest.
OCCURRENCE
2015: one at Pak Sha O from 22 November to 12 December (Carey 2017).
2016: one at Ng Tung Chai on 10 October and 16 November; one at Pak Sha O from 20 November to 19 March 2017 (presumed same individual as previous winter).
Both were rather vocal males, suggesting this species is overlooked due to the difficulties of identification.
BEHAVIOUR, FORAGING & DIET
Joins mixed flocks. Vocal.
RANGE & SYSTEMATICS
Monotypic. A Chinese breeding endemic that has been recorded in north Guangdong, east Guizhou, south Sichuan and north Yunnan and south Shaanxi; only winter record away from HK is in southeast Myanmar (Alström 2020).
CONSERVATION STATUS
IUCN: Least Concern. Population trend stable.
Alström, P. (2020). Emei Leaf Warbler (Phylloscopus emeiensis), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.emlwar1.01
Carey, G. J. (2017). Emei Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus emeiensis at Pak Sha O. The first Hong Kong record. Hong Kong Bird Report 2015: 305-307.
