Common Name: Tickell’s Leaf Warbler
Scientific Name: Phylloscopus affinis
Family: Phylloscopidae
Nepali Name: Pitodar Fisto ( पीतोदर फिस्टो )
Size: 11 cm
Location: Dingboche (Khumbu), Nepal 

Tickell’s Leaf Warbler is a delicate and active songbird found in Nepal, renowned for its subtle yet distinctive coloring and wide altitudinal range. During the summer, it breeds in the high Himalayas, typically between 2,550 and 4,880 meters, nestling among rocks, alpine shrubs, dwarf bamboo, rhododendrons, and willow scrub. In winter, it descends to lower elevations, often around 75 to 1,190 meters, inhabiting forest edges and low shrub habitats.

This small warbler is identifiable by its soft yellowish underside and a pale supercilium (the stripe above the eye), while lacking the wing bars common to many other leaf warblers. Its lemony cheeks and underparts subtly contrast with muted olive-brown upperparts. Additional field marks include slim, dark brown to yellowish legs, a brown upper mandible with a pale yellow lower mandible, and a grayish tone on the wing panels. Known for its soft, melodic calls and constant flitting among branches, Tickell’s Leaf Warbler plays a key role in controlling insect populations in its habitats.

Please feel free to comment below if the above species has been misidentified.

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