Taxonomy
Phylloscopus sibilatrix | Wood Warbler | Ceolaire coille
Distribution
Status
Conservation status
This species is Red-listed
according to Birds of Conservation Concern in Ireland 2020-2026 and is of high
conservation value as a result.
Moved onto the Red list as a
result of breeding population and range declines (Gilbert, Stanbury and Lewis, 2021).
Species Biology
Identification
The Wood Warbler has a length of
around 12 cm and a wingspan of 22 cm.
This small species weighs
approximately 10 grams.
Mostly a pale green colour with
the exception of a yellow supercilium, dark coloured eye stripe and white
breast.
The legs can be brown to pink in
colouration.
As it tends to keep to the
woodland canopy it is most easily identified by its distinctive song.
Diet
Mainly feeds on invertebrates
such as insects and arachnids but can feed on some fruits also.
Habitat
Found in deciduous woodlands that offer a closed canopy and little shrub cover.
On a European level, most of the population exist in forested lowlands with closed canopies.
Reproduction
This species will lay a clutch of
5-6 eggs from early May onwards.
Eggs are very small at around 1.3
grams.
Incubation period is
approximately two weeks followed by a fledging period of about the same length
of time.
Distribution
World distribution(GBIF)
Irish distribution
A small number of Willow Warblers
breed in oak forest in County Wicklow but are rare.
Rare passage migrant to areas of
County Cork and County Wexford.
Temporal change
Records submitted to Data Centre in 2024
The following map is interactive. If you would prefer to view it full screen then click here.
Further information
BirdWatch Ireland: https://birdwatchireland.ie/birds/wood-warbler/
The Royal Society for the
Protection of Birds: https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/wood-warbler/
British Trust for Ornithology: https://app.bto.org/birdfacts/results/bob13080.htm
References
Publications
Gilbert, G., Stanbury, A. and Lewis, L., 2021. Birds of Conservation
Concern in Ireland 4: 2020-2026. [online] Wicklow. Available at:
<https://birdwatchireland.ie/birds-of-conservation-concern-in-ireland/>
[Accessed 2 Jun. 2021].