The willow warbler is a slim, delicate bird of woodland, scrub, parks and gardens. It can be heard singing a melodious, warbling song from the tree canopy. Willow warblers are migratory birds, breeding in Europe and migrating to southern Africa for the winter. They are unusual birds because they moult all their feathers twice a year - once at their breeding grounds and once at their wintering grounds; yet, the reason for this is unclear. Like other warblers, they are insectivorous, but will eat berries and fruit in autumn.
How to identify
The willow warbler is green above and pale yellow below, with an off-white belly and eyebrow stripe. Willow warblers and chiffchaffs are both very similar, olive-coloured warblers, so are best identified by their song: chiffchaffs sing a distinctive 'chiff chaff chiff chaff', whilst willow warblers sing in a sweet, descending scale. Willow warblers have pale legs, while chiffchaff legs are dark grey.
Did you know?
The willow warbler is one of the most common summer visitors to this country, with 2.4 million breeding pairs setting up nests for the season.
