Eastern Bonelli’s warbler – Phylloscopus orientalis

The Eastern Bonelli’s warbler (Phylloscopus orientalis), sometimes known as Balkan warbler, is a “warbler” in the leaf warbler genus Phylloscopus. It was formerly regarded as the eastern subspecies of a wider “Bonelli’s warbler” species, but as a result of modern taxonomic developments, they are now usually considered to be two species:

• Western Bonelli’s warbler, Phylloscopus bonelli, which breeds in southwest Europe and north Africa
• Eastern Bonelli’s warbler, Phylloscopus orientalis, which breeds in southeast Europe and Asia Minor

The species is migratory, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa. It is a rare vagrant in Northern Europe.

Eastern Bonelli’s warbler is a small passerine bird, found in forest and woodland. Four to six eggs are laid in a nest on the ground. Like most warblers, eastern Bonelli’s is insectivorous.

It is a small warbler. The adult has a plain grey-green back, green-toned rump and wings and whitish underparts. The bill is small and pointed and the legs brown. The sexes are identical, as with most warblers.