Willow Warbler? Poland, June 2015 (1 Viewer)

[D Halas]

I took these photographs in southwestern Poland in mid-June 2015, in a patch of second-growth wood next to a scrubby overgrown field. I only saw this bird briefly, and it didn't vocalize, so at the time I hesitated in making an ID, as I've got very little experience with European warblers. Looking over my pictures now, it looks to me like a Willow Warbler. Am I right in saying that, while Willow Warblers can have dark legs, Chifffchaffs can never have light legs, so a bird that looks like one or the other and has light legs is a Willow Warbler?

 

[Ighalo is amazing]

Looks like a Willow Warbler to me too.

 

[ApusApus]

I took these photographs in southwestern Poland in mid-June 2015, in a patch of second-growth wood next to a scrubby overgrown field. I only saw this bird briefly, and it didn't vocalize, so at the time I hesitated in making an ID, as I've got very little experience with European warblers. Looking over my pictures now, it looks to me like a Willow Warbler. Am I right in saying that, while Willow Warblers can have dark legs, Chifffchaffs can never have light legs, so a bird that looks like one or the other and has light legs is a Willow Warbler?

Leg colour is not definitive, some WWs have darkish legs & some CCs have lighter legs! The thing to look for to separate the 2 species is the length of the primary projection, in WW it is equal to the length of the tertials but in CC it is less around 75% or so! Of course, if the bird sings then you've got no problem! ||


Shane

 

[D Halas]

Leg colour is not definitive, some WWs have darkish legs & some CCs have lighter legs! The thing to look for to separate the 2 species is the length of the primary projection, in WW it is equal to the length of the tertials but in CC it is less around 75% or so! Of course, if the bird sings then you've got no problem! ||


Shane

Ah, interesting. So, even though I'd say the primaries look rather long on this bird, which would support Willow Warbler, given that the tertials aren't visible in my pictures for comparison with the primaries, would you say that the bird is unidentifiable to species?

 

[ApusApus]

Ah, interesting. So, even though I'd say the primaries look rather long on this bird, which would support Willow Warbler, given that the tertials aren't visible in my pictures for comparison with the primaries, would you say that the bird is unidentifiable to species?

Your bird is a Willow Warbler ........... as you say the primaries look long & it is showing a well defined supercilium & eye stripe which projects well behind the eye!


Shane

 

[D Halas]

Your bird is a Willow Warbler ........... as you say the primaries look long & it is showing a well defined supercilium & eye stripe which projects well behind the eye!


Shane

Ah, excellent, thank you!