Southern Arava -  A Yellow-browed Warbler

As previously reported, on Feb. 15th I found a bird at the Neo't Smadar date plantation, that I identified as a Hume's Leaf Warbler- Phylloscopus humei,in the field. I first located the bird by its call, which I found quite distinctive at the time. When we finally saw the bird it looked quite drab (compared to Yellow-Browed Warblers I recently saw), showed an off-white super cilium, only one prominent wing bar (greater coverts) and a very faint median coverts bar. The legs seemed darkish and the bill seemed mostly dark with a pale orange base. I noted also the grayish overall color, the pale cheeks and the thin whiteish tertial fringes. All these features plus the call pointed to Hume's Warbler.

The bird seemed loyal to a single tree so on the morning of the 23rd of Feb. Yosef Kiat came down to Lotan to try and catch the bird.

At first the bird was wary and stuck to the higher reaches of the Acacia, making it impossible to catch. Based on other ringers advice, Yosef tried to draw it in with Chiffchaff calls… and it worked. Shortly after playing the tape, the Warbler got irritated, set out after a Chiffchaff that was feeding lower down and followed it into the net. The bird was ringed by Yosef, and several images were taken of the bird in the hand.

On that same evening the images were posted on an Israeli birding forum. Barak Granit was the first to question the identification of the bird as humei, and pointed out several features which point to Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus. Several other birders commented on the images, with the general notion being, that based on the images, the bird is more likely a Yellow-browed Warbler (inornatus), rather than Hume's Warbler (humei). But then we have the call… I am certain that the calls I heard were closer to Hume's Warbler and that they were distinctly different than the primary calls of YB Warbler (inornatus).

For the past week I have been through hundreds of images and dozens of recordings of both species. I have been in touch with some very experienced birders that have seen both species many times and handled them in the hand. I have learned a great deal about just how complicated these two confusion species can be.

There is no question that in the images, several features stick out favoring Yellow-browed Warbler rather than Hume's. These are primarily the relatively pale legs and extensively pale lower mandible, but there are several mentions from around the world of birds identified in the field (and even in the hand) as Yellow-browed Warblers, that ended up calling closer to Hume's and vice versa. There is much more to elaborate on the subject and much information is still to be gained.

I am attaching a series of images of the bird in the hand, your comments are welcome.

Jonathan Meyrav

Contact info

Daphna Abell
Program Coordinator
lotan-programs@lotan.ardom.co.il
Tel: +972 8 6356935;
Toll Free: 1800 2000 75 (when in Israel)