Willow Warbler

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

About 50% of wildlife watchers report a Willow Warbler sighting in Cairngorms National Park, based on 2,132 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

Q: 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.

Phylloscopus trochilus

Silhouette: Margot Michaud · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
FamilyPhylloscopidae (Leaf Warblers)
GenusPhylloscopus (Leaf Warblers)
SpeciesPhylloscopus trochilus (Willow Warbler)

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

at Cairngorms National Park

2,132 Verified sightings at Cairngorms National Park From 2019 to 2026

13,030 Verified sightings across all 78 parks From 2019 to 2026

May Best month highest sighting rate

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Willow Warbler

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. In spite of its small size, the willow warbler performs one of the longest migrations of any animal.

The willow warbler was formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae under the binomial name Motacilla trochilus. The willow warbler is now one of around 80 species placed in the genus Phylloscopus that was introduced by the German zoologist Friedrich Boie in 1826. The genus... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Cairngorms National Park

Phylloscopus collybita

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Phylloscopus sibillatrix

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Fringilla coelebs

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Erithacus rubecula

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Periparus ater

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Cyanistes caeruleus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Parus major

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Spinus spinus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Troglodytes troglodytes

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Turdus merula

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Corvus corone

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Regulus regulus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

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

Quick answers

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

About 50% of wildlife watchers report a Willow Warbler sighting in Cairngorms National Park, based on 2,132 verified sightings 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

Willow Warbler

About the Willow Warbler

Recent sightings of Willow Warbler in Cairngorms National Park

Closest Relatives at Cairngorms National Park

Common Chiffchaff

Wood Warbler

Chaffinch

European Robin

Coal Tit

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Eurasian Siskin

Eurasian Wren

Eurasian Blackbird

Carrion Crow

Goldcrest

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

Quick answers