Phylloscopus

Phylloscopus 

a genus of birds of the family Sylviidae of the order Passeriformes. The birds are 10-14 cm long and weigh 5-12.5 g. The plumage is brownish or greenish above and usually yellowish beneath. Some species have a light stripe over the eyes. The birds are distributed in Europe and Asia; one Asian species is found in Alaska. They winter in Africa and southern Asia.

There are 15 species in the USSR; these include the willow warbler (P. trochilus), the chiffchaff (P. collybitus), the arctic willow warbler (P. borealis), and the greenish warbler (P. trochil-oides). The birds inhabit various latitudes, ranging from the low-shrub tundra to the dark coniferous taiga. Their nests are on the ground or in small trees or shrubs; they are covered and have side entrances. A clutch contains four to eight lightly colored spotted eggs. As a rule, the female incubates the eggs for 12 or 13 days. The birds feed on spiders, insects, and, sometimes in the fall, berries.