Willow Warbler
Willow WarblerWillow WarblerWillow WarblerWillow Warbler

Willow Warbler

Phylloscopus trochilus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
40–50% · Likely
overall probability at Cairngorms National Park
1,202 Verified records at Cairngorms National Park
May Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The willow warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus) is a very common and widespread leaf warbler which breeds throughout northern and temperate Europe and the Palearctic, from Ireland east to the Anadyr River basin in eastern Siberia. It is strongly migratory, with almost all of the population wintering in sub-Saharan Africa. It is a bird of open woodlands with trees and ground cover for nesting, including most importantly birch, alder, and willow habitats. The nest is usually built in close contact with the ground, often in low vegetation. Like most Old World warblers (Sylviidae), this small passerine is insectivorous. In northern Europe, it is one of the first warblers to return in the spring, though later than the closely related chiffchaff. Wikipedia →

40–50% of wildlife watchers report a Willow Warbler sighting in Cairngorms National Park, based on 1,202 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Cairngorms National Park

Common Chiffchaff
LC

Common Chiffchaff

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Phylloscopus collybita

10–20% · With luck
Wood Warbler

Wood Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Phylloscopus sibillatrix

<5% · Rare
Chaffinch
LC

Chaffinch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Fringilla coelebs

80–90% · Very likely
European Robin
LC

European Robin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Erithacus rubecula

70–80% · Likely
Coal Tit
LC Endemic

Coal Tit

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Periparus ater

60–70% · Likely
Blue Tit
LC

Blue Tit

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cyanistes caeruleus

60–70% · Likely
Great Tit
LC Endemic

Great Tit

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Parus major

60–70% · Likely
Eurasian Siskin
LC

Eurasian Siskin

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Spinus spinus

50–60% · Likely
Eurasian Wren
LC Endemic

Eurasian Wren

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Troglodytes troglodytes

50–60% · Likely
Eurasian Blackbird
LC Endemic

Eurasian Blackbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdus merula

50–60% · Likely
Carrion Crow
LC

Carrion Crow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Corvus corone

40–50% · Likely
Goldcrest
LC Endemic

Goldcrest

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Regulus regulus

40–50% · Likely

📅 Monthly Probability

5–10
Jan
<5
Feb
<5
Mar
40–50
Apr
80–90
May
70–80
Jun
50–60
Jul
40–50
Aug
10–20
Sep
5–10
Oct
5–10
Nov
5–10
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Cairngorms National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
40–50%
2 Biebrza National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
40–50%
3 Tatra National Park 🇸🇰 Slovakia
30–40%
4 Białowieża National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
20–30%
5 Snowdonia National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
20–30%
6 Bavarian Forest National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
10–20%
7 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
10–20%
8 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
10–20%
9 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
10–20%
10 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
10–20%
11 Awash National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
10–20%
12 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
10–20%
13 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
10–20%
14 Fertő-Hanság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
10–20%
15 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
10–20%
16 Gauja National Park 🇱🇻 Latvia
10–20%
17 Meru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
10–20%
18 Lake Mburo National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
5–10%
19 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
5–10%
20 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
5–10%
21 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
5–10%
22 Aberdare National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
5–10%
23 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
5–10%
24 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
5–10%
25 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
5–10%
26 Bale Mountains National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
5–10%
27 Doñana National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
5–10%
28 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
5–10%
29 Niokolo-Koba National Park 🇸🇳 Senegal
5–10%
30 Kibale National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
5–10%
31 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
5–10%
32 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
5–10%
33 Hortobágy National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
5–10%
34 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
5–10%
35 Gorongosa National Park 🇲🇿 Mozambique
5–10%
36 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
5–10%
37 Pyrénées National Park 🇫🇷 France
5–10%
38 Monfragüe National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
5–10%
39 Waterberg Plateau Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
5–10%
40 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
5–10%
41 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
5–10%
42 Sierra Nevada National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
5–10%
43 Sierra de Guadarrama National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
5–10%
44 Kiskunság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
5–10%
45 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
5–10%
46 Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
5–10%
47 Mikumi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
48 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
<5%
49 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
50 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
51 Semuliki National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
52 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
53 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
54 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
55 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
56 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
57 Triglav National Park 🇸🇮 Slovenia
<5%
58 Volcanoes National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
<5%
59 Aigüestortes National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
<5%
60 Cévennes National Park 🇫🇷 France
<5%
61 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
<5%
62 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
63 Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
64 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
<5%
65 Picos de Europa National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
<5%
66 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
67 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
<5%
68 Bwindi Impenetrable National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
69 Nyungwe National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
<5%
70 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
71 Vatnajokull National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
<5%
72 Lower Zambezi National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
Insufficient data
73 Mercantour National Park 🇫🇷 France
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Willow Warbler in Cairngorms National Park?

About 47% of wildlife watchers report a Willow Warbler sighting in Cairngorms National Park, based on 1,202 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Willow Warbler in Cairngorms National Park?

May has the highest sighting rate for Willow Warbler in Cairngorms National Park in our monthly data.

← Back to Cairngorms National Park