Western Subalpine Warbler

By its shape and appearance, it looks like a small, thinner Grey Wagtail with a relatively shorter tail. Under good lighting, the male shows a head and back that is blue-grey, similar to that of a Siskin. The back is tinged with brown, the sides of the head a bit darker. The slender white moustache running down either side of the beak makes the brick red or wine pink of the throat particularly stand out. The bright colour of the throat changes to brown on the chest and sides. The belly is white, the undertail coverts reddish-brown, edged with white. The remiges are a dark greyish-brown with pale edges. The rectrices are similar but with grey edges. The outer rectrices are almost entirely white, the next three with a white tip. At close range, a red ring can be seen around the eye.
The adult female and young are usually duller. The upper parts are washed with brown, the throat whitish, the moustaches scarcely projecting and the underparts tending towards yellowish. The remiges are darker with paler, less pure and less extensive white edging. The colour of the underparts can vary from vivid to pale, from red to pinkish-fawn and wine-purple, even in the females. In the autumn, juvéniles with scarcely visible moustaches can pose identification problems and be mistaken for Grey Wagtails, Northern Hill Wablers and even Common Chiffchaffs.