This small warbler is prone to vagrancy as far as western Europe in October, despite a 3000 km distance from its breeding grounds

Breeds in central and east Palearctic in warm continental middle and lower middle latitudes in open forests, glades, clearings, regrowth in burnt and felled patches, strips of trees along riversides, and willow beds on lake shores and islands. Spends most time in undergrowth and surrounding grasses and herbage, ascending to treetops only in breeding season.

The nest is built low in a bush, and eggs are laid.

Chiefly insects. Forages very actively at various levels-in tree canopy, in bushes, among undergrowth, and on ground.

the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e. declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Migratory, wintering in south-east Asia. Leaves breeding grounds mostly late August to mid-September. Spring migration through China mostly May to early June, arriving on Siberian breeding grounds about 2nd week of June. Autumn vagrancy to western Europe, resulting from reverse migration or westward displacement in anti-cyclonic conditions, is less frequent than in some Asiatic Phylloscopus; spring records exceptional. In Britain and Ireland, 49 records 1958-85, all 26 September to 1 November.