Dusky Warbler

Dusky Warbler
This species is defined as a Review Species . Please submit your records of this species via our record submission page .

Scientific Name: Phylloscopus fuscatus

Malay Name: Cekup-Daun Perang Rawa

Chinese Name: 褐柳莺

Range: Found from eastern Eurasia, northern China to Siberia and winters to the Indian subcontinent, southern China, Indochina and the Thai-Malay Peninsula

Taxonomy: Polytypic. Subspecies are: fuscatus, robustus.

Size: 12-12.5 cm

Identification: Adult resembles Arctic Warbler but has dark to greyish-brown upperparts without any pale wing bars, dirty-whitish underparts and buffish wash on breast-sides, flanks and undertail-coverts.

Similar looking species: Arctic Warbler

Habitat: Open areas and often in wetter habitats than other Phylloscopus warblers.

Behaviour/Ecology: Frequents low bushes and small trees, usually within the vicinity of water.

Local Status: Vagrant

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2016)

Featured articles:

Featured reports: Mar 2022, May 2023, Jun 2023

Past records in our database:

Showing only accepted records. Note that records currently under review are also not displayed, and the list may not be a full list of records of this species in Singapore. For more details, check the database here.

Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):

Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus
Average number of individuals by week based on Singapore Bird Database data, Jul 2014 to Jun 2024 (all records)
Peak weeks Mar 05-Mar 11, Dec 24-Dec 30
Early date 22 Dec 2019
Late date 13 Jun 2023
Recorded three times from 2019-2022, and an abundant migrant in favourable habitat further north in southeast Asia. Could it be overlooked in Singapore?
Dusky Warbler at Yishun Pond. Photo credit: Francis Yap
Dusky Warbler at Yishun Pond. Photo credit: Adrian Silas Tay
Dusky Warbler at Yishun Pond. Photo credit: Francis Yap
Dusky Warbler at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital. Photo Credit: See Toh Yew Wai

External Links:

Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page

Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link

Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link

eBird Species page: eBird (Dusky Warbler)

References:

BirdLife International. (2016). Phylloscopus fuscatus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22715264A94445738.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023

Jeyarajasingam, A., & Pearson, A. (2012). A Field Guide to the Birds of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. Oxford University Press.

Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.

RECOMMENDED CITATION

Bird Society of Singapore. (n.d.). Dusky Warbler. Retrieved on April 15, 2025 from https://singaporebirds.com/species/dusky-warbler.

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