Are you looking for a complete guide to the warblers of North America, including pictures, where to find them and identification clues? Then you’ve come to the right place.
Below you can find concise information and identification pictures of every species of warbler in North America. Your warbler ID struggles are over. So grab yourself a hot drink, take a seat and scroll down to discover the wonderful world of warblers.
An Introduction to Warblers
First of all, how do you know you’ve spotted a warbler?
There’s huge variety in the color and shape of warblers in North America, but we can summarize them all as small, insect-eating birds.
These birds are full of energy and are often seen flittering from branch to branch and across the forest floor. They are also known for their epic migrations, with some species travelling from the most northerly parts of Canada as far down as South America.
The name “warbler” can cause confusion, as there are 12 other families of birds across the world that are also given the name “warblers”. Here in North America (north of the Mexican border) the vast majority of our warblers are part of the New World Warbler family, also known as the Parulidae.
The only breeding “warblers” in North America that aren’t part of the Parulidae group are the Olive Warbler and the Arctic Warbler.
In this guide, we are covering the 50 species of New World warblers in North America.
The 50 Warblers (Parulidae) Found in North America
Bay-breasted Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga castanea
Population & Trend: 9.2 million, increasing, ‘Least Concern’
Location: Breeds in northern coniferous or mixed forests, mainly in Canada. Winters in lowland forests in central America.
Size: Length = 5.5 in, Weight = 0.3-0.6 oz, Wingspan = 7.9-8.7 in
Note: Adult male unmistakable in summer with chestnut head and black face. But non-breeding males, females and juveniles closely resemble Blackpool Warblers and even hybridize with this species.
Black-and-white Warbler
Scientific Name: Mniotilta varia
Population & Trend: 18 million, stable, ‘Least Concern’
Location: Breeds across most of eastern US and up to Canada’s Northwest Territories in deciduous and mixed forests.Winters in southeastern US and as far down as northern South America in wooded areas.
Size: Length = 4.3-5.1 in, Weight = 0.3-0.5 oz, Wingspan = 7.1-8.7 in
Note: One of the earliest arriving warblers to breeding grounds. Distinguished by its ‘zebra’ striped plumage and vertical movements up and down trees similar to a nuthatch. Similar to Blackpoll Warbler male but lacks solid black cap.
Blackburnian Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga fusca
Population & Trend: 13 million, increasing, ‘Least Concern’
Location: Breeds in coniferous and mixed forests across northeastern North America. Winters in Central and South America, particularly in montane forests.
Size: Length = 4.3-4.7 in, Weight = 0.3-0.4 oz, Wingspan = 7.9-9.1 in
Note: Bright orange and black breeding colours distinguish it from most other warblers. The similarly colored American Redstart lacks the orange throat.
Blackpoll Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga striata
Population & Trend: 59 million, decreasing, ‘Near Threatened’
Location: Breeds in Canada and Alaska, mainly in spruce and tamarack forests. Found in evergreen and deciduous forests in the US during migration and winters in northern South America.
Size: Length = 5.5 in, Weight = 0.4-0.5 oz, Wingspan = 8.3-9.1 in
Notes: Has the longest migration of any North American Warbler, often travelling across open water for more than 2000 miles and 80 hours in one go. Named for the male’s black cap.
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga caerulescens
Population & Trend: 2.4 million, increasing, ‘Least Concern’
Location: Breeds in eastern Canada and US, preferring deciduous woods with a shrubby understory. Winters in the Caribbean and western coast of mainland Central America in similar forests including shade-coffee farms.
Size: Length = 4.3-5.1 in, Weight = 0.3-0.4 oz, Wingspan = 7.5-7.9 in
Notes: Males’ dark blue plumage is a stark difference to the olive-brown female but both sexes can be distinguished from other warblers by the white ‘pocket handkerchief’ mark on their primary feathers.
Black-throated Green Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga virens
Population & Trend: 9.2 million, stable, ‘Least Concern’
Location: Breeds in coniferous and mixed forests in eastern and central North America and US. The “Wayne’s” subspecies breeds in swamplands in the Coastal Plain of Virginia and the Carolinas. Winters in the Caribbean and western coast of mainland Central America in similar forests.
Size: Length = 4.3-4.7 in, Weight = 0.3-0.4 oz, Wingspan = 6.7-7.9 in
Notes: A familiar migratory warbler in eastern US, often heard before its seen with the male being a persistent singer. Listen out for its thin, buzzy “zee-zee-zee-zoo-zee” call. Olive green crown, back and rump. Distinguished from similar looking warblers due to its eastern location.
Blue-winged Warbler
Scientific Name: Vermivora cyanoptera
Population & Trend: 680,000, decreasing, ‘Least Concern’
Location: Found in early successional habitats like young forests and clearings and shrubby fields. Breeds in central-eastern US and southern Ontario. Migrates south in fall, crossing the Gulf of Mexico to winter in Mexico, Central American and the Carribean.
Size: Length = 4.3-4.7 in, Weight = 0.3 oz, Wingspan = 5.9 in
Notes: The heavy black bill and eyeline give this bird a distinctive pointy-headed look. This, along with its two white wing bars, help to distinguish from the similar-looking Prothonotary Warbler.
Canada Warbler
Scientific Name: Cardellina canadensis
Population & Trend: 2.6 million, decreasing, ‘Least Concern’
Location: Breeds in mixed and deciduous forests with dense undergrowth across central and eastern Canada and mainly northeastern US. Range also stretches across the Appalachian Mountains as far south as Georgia. Winters in northern South America in highland forests.
Size: Length = 4.7-5.9 in, Weight = 0.3-0.5 oz, Wingspan = 6.7-8.7 in
Notes: One of the last warbler species to arrive at breeding grounds, and one of the first to depart. Nicknamed ‘necklaced warbler’ from its noticeable band of black and gray streaks across the chest on both sexes, but bolder on the male.
Cape May Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga tigrina
Population & Trend: 7 million, increasing, ‘Least Concern’
Location: Breeds in coniferous forests of North America. Winters in gardens and tropical forests in Caribbean and mainland Central America.
Size: Length = 4.7-5.1 in, Weight = 0.4-0.5 oz, Wingspan = 7.9-8.7 in
Notes: Named after the location it was first described, but in reality doesn’t spend much time in Cape May, New Jersey. The scientific name ‘tigrina’ is more accurate due to the black “tiger stripes” on the breast (more bold on males than females and juveniles).
Cerulean Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga cerulea
Population & Trend: 530,000, decreasing, ‘Near Threatened’
Location: Breeds in deciduous forests, often close to water, in northeast US and into Ontario and Quebec, mainly in the Appalachians. Winters in evergreen forests from Colombia south to Bolivia.
Size: Length = 4.3 in, Weight = 0.3 oz, Wingspan = 7.9 in
Notes: An eye-catching bird, particularly the male with its ‘sky-blue’ back and head (bluish green for the female). One of North America’s most threatened migrant songbirds with 70% population decline in past 40 years
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga pensylvanica
Population & Trend: 18 million, decreasing, ‘Least Concern’
Location: Breeds mainly in northeastern US and central and eastern Canada in young deciduous regrowth and shrubby clearings created by disturbance like forest fires. In winter, found in tropical forests and edges.
Size: Length = 4.7-5.5 in, Weight = 0.4-0.5 oz, Wingspan = 7.5-8.3 in
Notes: Note the rich chestnut flanks and yellow (lime-green for females and juveniles) crown. This species range has expanded since the 19th century, as their nesting preferences mean they benefit from the clearing of forests.
Colima Warbler
Scientific Name: Leiothlypis crissalis
Population & Trend: 25,000, stable, ‘Least Concern’
Location: Breeds at high elevations, mainly in northeastern Mexico. The only place to see this warbler in the US is in the Chisos Mountains of Texas in Big Bend National Park.
Size: Length = 4.7-5.1 in, Weight = 0.3-0.4 oz
Notes: Overall understated and gray brown, except white eyering and bright yellow tail base. You’ll have to hike several miles in the Big Bend National Park if you want to see this bird in the US
Connecticut Warbler
Scientific Name: Oporornis agilis
Population & Trend: 1.8 million, decreasing, ‘Least Concern’
Location: Breeds in boreal forest and bog edges across southern Canada and some northern US states on the border. Winters in the lower Amazon Basin (SW Brazil & Central Bolivia), in both forest and dense scrubland.
Size: Length = 5.1-5.9 in, Weight = 0.5 oz, Wingspan = 8.7-9.4 in
Notes: A gray-hooded bird with a bold white eyering and yellow belly. With its preference for remote breeding areas and tendency to stay under thick vegetation cover, this bird has a reputation for being difficult to spot.
Golden-cheeked Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga chrysoparia
Population & Trend: 21,000, decreasing, ‘Endangered’
Location: Breeds only in juniper-oak woodlands in the Edwards Plateau, central Texas. Winters in pine-oak mountain forests of Mexico and northern Central America.
Size: Length = 4.7-5.1 in, Weight = 0.3-0.5 oz, Wingspan = 7.5-8.3 in
Notes: Identifiable lemon-yellow face with black eyeline. This bird is known as the “Gold Finch of Texas,” as it only nests in this state. Unfortunately, multiple threats like habitat loss is pushing this bird to extinction.
Golden-winged Warbler
Scientific Name: Vermivora chrysoptera
Population & Trend: 410,000, decreasing, ‘Near Threatened’
Location: Breeds in Great Lakes states, the central and southern Appalachians, and southern Canada in forested and shrubby habitats. Winters in open woodlands and shade-coffee plantations in Central and South America.
Size: Length = 5.1 in, Weight = 0.3-0.4 oz
Notes: Silvery gray with yellow wing patches and crown. Males have a bold black-and-white face pattern. Often hybridizes with the Blue-winged Warbler and faces strong competition from this species, which appears to be leading to its decline.
Grace’s Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga graciae
Population & Trend: 3 million, decreasing, ‘Least Concern‘
Location: Nests in mountainous pine-oak and pine forests in southwestern US, Mexico and Central America. Winters in similar habitat in Mexico and Central America.
Size: Length = 4.7 in, Weight = 0.3 oz, Wingspan = 7.9 in
Notes: Ashy gray above with yellow face and throat, while mainly white below. Similar looking to the Yellow-throated Warbler but lacks long bill, used for probing in bark and pine cones for insects, and white face.
Hermit Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga occidentalis
Population & Trend: 2.5 million, stable, ‘Least Concern‘
Location: Breeds in conifer forests along west coast of US, in western Oregon and Washington, and in California. Winters in mountainous pine-oak forests in Mexico, Central America and southern Californian coast.
Size: Length = 5.5 in, Weight = 0.3-0.5 oz, Wingspan = 7.9 in
Notes: Named after its elusiveness and trickiness to spot. Hybridizes with the closely related Townsend’s Warbler and is also being outcompeted by this species in overlapping areas. The full yellow face distinguishes this species.
Hooded Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga citrina
Population & Trend: 5.1 million, increasing, ‘Least Concern‘
Location: Breeds in deciduous forest in the east from southern Canada to Florida, and as far west as Texas. Winters in lowland areas of Caribbean, central America and northern South America.
Size: Length = 5.1 in, Weight = 0.3-0.4 oz, Wingspan = 6.9 in
Notes: Olive-green above and yellow below. Males have distinctive black hood and throat. Flits from branch to branch, flashing its white outer tail feathers.
Kentucky Warbler
Scientific Name: Geothlypis formosa
Population & Trend: 2.6 million, decreasing, ‘Least Concern‘
Location: Breeds in deep, deciduous forest usually close to water in eastern US. Winters in similar habitat in Mexico, Central America and northern South America. Sometimes found in the Caribbean.
Size: Length = 5.1 in, Weight = 0.5 oz, Wingspan = 7.9-8.7 in
Notes: More often heard then seen in its dense forest habitat. Nests on the ground in thick shrub or at the base of a tree. Distinctive black “sideburns” and bright yellow “spectacles”.
Kirtland’s Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga kirtlandii
Population & Trend: 4,500-5000, increasing, ‘Near Threatened‘
Location: One of the smallest breeding ranges of any North American bird. Breeds mainly in north-central lower Michigan with small numbers in upper Michigan, Wisconsin and Ontario. Winters in the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands.
Size: Length = 5.5-5.9 in, Weight = 0.4-0.6 oz
Notes: A large warbler with specific nesting habitat requirements of dense and young Jack Pine trees in sandy soil, where they construct their nests on the ground. Very limited range. Distinguished from the similar-looking Yellow-rumped Warbler by its entire yellow underside and gray rump.
Lucy’s Warbler
Scientific Name: Leiothlypis luciae
Population & Trend: 3 million, increasing, ‘Least Concern‘
Location: Breeds in desert dry washes or areas along streambeds in southwestern US and north Mexico, mainly in the Sonoran Desert. Winters in western Mexico.
Size: Length = 3.5-4.7 in, Weight = 0.2-0.3 oz
Notes: A small gray warbler, actually North America’s smallest warbler, with a cinnamon rump and crown patch. Nests in tree or cacti cavities and woodpecker holes and is one of the only two cavity-nesting warblers (the Prothonotary Warbler is the other).
MacGillivray’s Warbler
Scientific Name: Geothlypis tolmiei
Population & Trend: 11 million, decreasing, ‘Least Concern‘
Location: Breeds in dense forest, often near water, from southern Alaska and the Yukon south to California and east to western South Dakota. A small population breeds in northern Mexico. Winters in similar habitat in Mexico and Central America.
Size: Length = 3.5-4.7 in, Weight = 0.2-0.3 oz
Notes: Once considered the same species as the Mourning Warbler but recent research found differences in morphology and song that separate the species. Also similar in appearance to the Connecticut Warbler, but notice the distinctive white crescents above and below the eye.
Magnolia Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga magnolia
Population & Trend: 39 million, increasing, ‘Least Concern‘
Location: Breeds in small conifers in coniferous and mixed forests in Canada, Great Lakes region, New England and northern Appalachians. Winters in tropical forests and scrub in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.
Size: Length = 4.3-5.1 in, Weight = 0.2-0.5 oz, Wingspan = 6.3-7.9 in
Notes: Named ‘Magnolia’ as the first specimen of this bird was collected from a Magnolia tree, although you won’t often find this bird there. Identify by its white undertail coverts and black tail tip.
Mourning Warbler
Scientific Name: Geothlypis philadelphia
Population & Trend: 14 million, decreasing, ‘Least Concern‘
Location: Nests in berry-bearing plants in boreal forest northern US and southern Canada. Winters in lowland and highland tropical forest gaps and edges in Central and South America.
Size: Length = 3.9-5.9 in, Weight = 0.4-0.5 oz, Wingspan = 7.1 in
Notes: Once considered the same species as the MacGillivray’s Warbler but recent research found differences in morphology and song that separate the species. Also similar in appearance to the Connecticut Warbler, but lacks bold white eyerings or crescents.
Nashville Warbler
Scientific Name: Leiothlypis ruficapilla
Population & Trend: 40 million, stable, ‘Least Concern‘
Location: Breeds in shrubby tangles and regrowing forest clearings in northern and western US and southern Canada. Winters in southern California and Texas, Mexico and northern Central America.
Size: Length = 4.3-5.1 in, Weight = 0.2-0.5 oz, Wingspan = 6.7-7.9 in
Notes: Not found in Nashville, Tennessee except during migration. Boisterous yellow songster with gray hood, distinguished from below by its yellow breast, white lower belly and yellow undertail coverts.
Orange-crowned Warbler
Scientific Name: Leiothlypis celata
Population & Trend: 82 million, decreasing, ‘Least Concern‘
Location: Breeds in low, densely vegetated habitats, not tall trees, across Alaska and Canada, south through the Rockies and Pacific Coast down to northern Baja California, Mexico. Winters across entire US Pacific Coast, and in southeastern US, and down across most of Mexico.
Size: Length = 4.3-5.5 in, Weight = 0.3-0.4 oz, Wingspan = 7.5 in
Notes: One of the dullest-colored warblers, with an overall yellow-olive color with grayish tones. The namesake orange crown patch is rarely seen. Western population are brighter-colored than the eastern counterparts.
Ovenbird
Scientific Name: Seiurus aurocapilla
Population & Trend: 26 million, stable, ‘Least Concern‘
Location: Breeds in mature deciduous and mixed forests across Canada and the eastern and central US. Winters in lowland forest in Florida, Central America, northern Venezuela and across the Caribbean.
Size: Length = 4.3-5.5 in, Weight = 0.6-1 oz, Wingspan = 7.5-10.2 in
Notes: The name of this bird comes from its dome-shaped nest which has a likeness to an fashioned brick oven. Often mistaken for Wood Thrush but is striped not spotted on the chest and belly.
Palm Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga palmarum
Population & Trend: 13 million, increasing, ‘Least Concern‘
Location: Breeds in boreal forest across west-central Canada east to Labrador and Newfoundland and south to very northern US. Winters in weedy fields and forest edges in southeastern US, Caribbean and Central America.
Size: Length = 4.7-5.5 in, Weight = 0.3-0.5 oz, Wingspan = 7.9-8.3 in
Notes: With its tendency to walk on the ground and wag its tail, this bird isn’t a typical warbler. Many people spot this bird on their spring and fall migration across eastern US. Large and stocky with a rusty cap.
Pine Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga pinus
Population & Trend: 13 million, increasing, ‘Least Concern‘
Location: Breeds in pine forest or pine trees in deciduous woods across eastern US and southern Canada. Winters in similar habitat in central and southern eastern US.
Size: Length = 5.1-5.5 in, Weight = 0.3-0.5 oz, Wingspan = 7.5-9.1 in
Notes: Yellowish bird with an olive back an two distinctive white bars on its gray wings. Often on tops of pine trees but occasionally visits backyard feeders.
Prairie Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga discolor
Population & Trend: 3.6 million, decreasing, ‘Least Concern‘
Location: Breeds in early successional habitats like scrubby fields, clearcuts and open woods in eastern US. Winters in similar habitat in south Florida and the Caribbean.
Size: Length = 4.3 in, Weight = 0.2-0.3 oz
Notes: Identify this bird from its semi-circle marking under the eye and line across the eye, which is black in males and grey in females and juveniles. Yellow underneath with black streaking on the flanks.
Prothonotary Warbler
Scientific Name: Protonotaria citrea
Population & Trend: 2.1 million, decreasing, ‘Least Concern‘
Location: Breeds in swamps and flooded woodlands in southeastern US. Winters in Central America and northern South America in coastal mangroves and lowland forests along streams.
Size: Length = 5.1 in, Weight = 0.4-0.5 oz, Wingspan = 8-9 in
Notes: Named after its bright golden yellow coloring which resembles the robes of a “Prothonotary” or clerk in the Roman Catholic Church. The wings and tail are blue-gray and its back yellow-olive.
Red-faced Warbler
Scientific Name: Cardellina rubrifrons
Population & Trend: 350,000, decreasing, ‘Least Concern‘
Location: Breeds in “sky-islands” – coniferous/oak forests on the top of isolated mountains rising from dry desert in southwestern US and northwestern Mexico. Winters in similar habitat across Mexico and Central America.
Size: Length = 5.1 in, Weight = 0.4-0.5 oz, Wingspan = 8-9 in
Notes: This is an easy one to ID, with both males and females possessing the brilliant red face and ear patch. The Painted Redstart is the only other warbler with red plumage, but this bird has a red belly and not a red face.
Rufous-capped Warbler
Scientific Name: Basileuterus rufifrons
Population & Trend: 2 million, decreasing, ‘Least Concern‘
Location: Only occasionally visits southeastern Arizona and southern Texas. Mainly found in low, brushy vegetation from Guatemala to northern Mexico.
Size: Length = 5.1 in, Weight = 0.4 oz
Notes: Distinctive rufous-colored head with white stripes above and below the eyeline. The subspecies that is sometimes spotted in the US has a lemon-yellow chest and white belly.
Swainson’s Warbler
Scientific Name: Limnothlypis swainsonii
Population & Trend: 160,000, increasing, ‘Least Concern‘
Location: Breeds in swamps, pine plantations and rhododendron thickets in southeastern US from eastern Texas to southern West Virginia. Winters in forests in northern Caribbean and in Mexico, Belize and northern Guatemala.
Size: Length = 5.1-5.5 in, Weight = 0.4-0.5 oz, Wingspan = 8.7-9.4 in
Notes: A very secretive bird and difficult to spot in the thick undergrowth its often concealed in. A brownish olive bird with a pale “eyebrow” and long, pink legs.
Tennessee Warbler
Scientific Name: Leiothlypis peregrina
Population & Trend: 110 million, decreasing, ‘Least Concern‘
Location: Breeds in boreal forests and thickets across much of Alaska and Canada and very northern US. Winters in open woods, particularly shade-coffee plantations, in Central and northern South America
Size: Length = 3.9-5.1 in, Weight = 0.3 oz, Wingspan = 7.5-7.9 in
Notes: Overall greenish on top and white underneath, males have a gray head and white line over the eye. Poorly named as it can only found in Tennessee during its migration. Smaller and shorter-tailed than the similar-looking Red-eyed Vireo.
Townsend’s Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga townsendi
Population & Trend: 21 million, decreasing, ‘Least Concern‘
Location: Breeds in coniferous forests in southern Alaska and northwestern Canada south into the US Pacific Northwest. Winters either along the West Coast from Oregon down to north Mexico or south to the highlands of central Mexico and Central America.
Size: Length = 4.7-5.0 in, Weight = 0.3-0.4 oz, Wingspan = 7.5-8.3 in
Notes: Yellow face and breast with a black cheek patch, cap and throat. Also two thick white wingbars. Often hybridizes with the closely related Hermit Warbler where their ranges overlap.
Virginia’s Warbler
Scientific Name: Leiothlypis virginiae
Population & Trend: 900,000, decreasing, ‘Least Concern‘
Location: Breeds in pinyon-pine and oak woodlands in the southwestern Rocky Mountain states. Winters in thorn scrub and tropical forest at mid-elevations in Mexico.
Size: Length = 4.0-4.7 in, Weight = 0.2-0.4 oz, Wingspan = 7.5 in
Notes: Gray from above and white from below with yellow highlights on the chest and tail. Bright white eyering. Also has a longer, thinner tail than other warblers. Another confusing name – this bird is not found in Virginia.
Wilson’s Warbler
Scientific Name: Cardellina pusilla
Population & Trend: 81 million, decreasing, ‘Least Concern‘
Location: Breeds in low, shrubby areas across most of Canada south down the US West Coast, Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada to southern California. Winters mainly in Mexico and Central America, but some stay in southern California and along the Gulf Coast in Louisiana and Texas.
Size: Length = 3.9-4.7 in, Weight = 0.2-0.3 oz, Wingspan = 5.5-6.7 in
Notes: Latin name ‘pusilla’ means tiny and this bird is indeed one of the smallest warblers. Easily identifiable from its black “beret” cap and energetic tail wagging and wing flickering. Bright yellow from above.
Worm-eating Warbler
Scientific Name: Helmitheros vermivorum
Population & Trend: 780,000, increasing, ‘Least Concern‘
Location: Breeds across eastern US in woodland habitats with dense understory. Winters in many habitat types, from mangroves to mountain forests, in southern Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America.
Size: Length = 4.4-5.2 in, Weight = 0.4-0.5 oz, Wingspan = 7.9-8.7 in
Notes: Distinctive stripes on its buff-colored head. Underparts are also buff but brown-olive from above. Hard to spot in their preferred dense habitat so listen out for the male’s very rapid trill song.
Yellow Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga petechia
Population & Trend: 97 million, decreasing, ‘Least Concern‘
Location: Breeds across most of Canada, Alaska and US, excluding the southwestern states, in shrubby thickets and woods particularly near water. Winters mainly in mangrove forests of Central and South America.
Size: Length = 4.7-5.1 in, Weight = 0.3-0.4 oz, Wingspan = 6.3-7.9 in
Notes: The most widespread American wood-warbler, and also an easy one to identify. Its North America’s yellowest warbler and has prominent black eyes and an unmarked face. Males have cinnamon streaking on the breast.
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga coronata
Population & Trend: 150 million, stable, ‘Least Concern‘
Location: Breeds in coniferous and mixed forests from northern Alaska and Canada to the midwestern States. Winters in a variety of open and second-growth habitats across central and southwestern US south all the way to Panama.
Size: Length = 4.7-5.5 in, Weight = 0.4-0.5 oz, Wingspan = 7.5-9.1 in
Notes: Affectionally named “butter-butt” from the bright yellow rump that distinguishes this species. Adult also have a yellow crown patch. Widespread and well-known.
Yellow-throated Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga dominica
Population & Trend: 2 million, increasing, ‘Least Concern‘
Location: Breeds in forest canopies in southeastern US. Winters in the most southerly points of the US south to Central America and the Caribbean, often in palm trees.
Size: Length = 5.1-5.5 in, Weight = 0.3-0.4 oz, Wingspan = 8.3 in
Notes: One of the few warblers that can be found during the winter in the US. Identified by its yellow throat offset by a black triangle marking below the eye. Overall gray and white with black streaks down the sides.
Common Yellowthroat
Scientific Name: Geothlypis trichas
Population & Trend: 77 million, decreasing, ‘Least Concern‘
Location: Breeds in thick vegetation, especially in marshy areas, across most of North America. Winters in shrubby habitats in the Caribbean, Central America and Mexico.
Size: Length = 4.3-5.1 in, Weight = 0.3 oz, Wingspan = 5.9-7.5 in
Notes: Identify the male with its black “bandit” mask. The female is brownish-green with a yellow throat and unmarked face. Listen for the male’s wichety-wichety-wichety song in marshes, wetland edges and brushy fields.
Northern Parula
Scientific Name: Setophaga americana
Population & Trend: 18 million, increasing, ‘Least Concern‘
Location: Breeds across most of eastern US and into southeastern Canada in deciduous and coniferous forests. Winters in Florida, Mexico, northern Central America, and the Caribbean.
Size: Length = 4.3-4.7 in, Weight = 0.2-0.4 oz, Wingspan = 6.3-7.1 in
Notes: Distinguished by its white eye crescents, yellow-green back patch and chestnut band across the breast. Look for this bird in forests laden with Spanish moss or beard lichens – its nest-building materials.
American Redstart
Scientific Name: Setophaga ruticilla
Population & Trend: 42 million, increasing, ‘Least Concern‘
Location: Breeds across most of northeastern and central US and southern Canada in second-growth woodland. Winters in lowland forests and edges from the tip of Florida across the Caribbean, as well as Central America to northern South America.
Size: Length = 4.3-5.1 in, Weight = 0.2-0.3 oz, Wingspan = 6.3-7.5 in
Notes: Males are glossy black with bright orange patches on the sides, wings and tail. In contrast, females and juveniles are olive-brown with a gray head and underparts and lemon-yellow patches instead.
Painted Redstart
Scientific Name: Myioborus pictus
Population & Trend: 600,000, decreasing, ‘Least Concern‘
Location: Only found in southern US, in parts of Arizona, New Mexico and West Texas, during breeding. Otherwise resides and winters in Mexico and Central America. Chooses highland pine-oak and oak as its habitat.
Size: Length = 5.1-5.9 in, Weight = 0.3-0.4 oz, Wingspan = 8.3 in
Notes: Velvety black overall with a scarlet-red belly, white wing patch and outer tail feathers and a white crescent under the eyes. Juvenile is gray instead of scarlet below.
Louisiana Waterthrush
Scientific Name: Parkesia motacilla
Population & Trend: 17 million, increasing, ‘Least Concern‘
Location: Nests along woodland streams across most of eastern US and north into Ontario. Winters in tropical lowlands from Mexico to northwestern South America and the Caribbean.
Size: Length = 5.9-6.1 in, Weight = 0.6-0.8 oz, Wingspan = 9.4-10.6 in
Notes: Thrush-like long brown body with brown streaking and long legs. Fewer streaks on breast and throat than the Northern Waterthrush. Found walking along streams bobbing its tail up and down.
Northern Waterthrush
Scientific Name: Parkesia noveboracensis
Population & Trend: 450,000, increasing, ‘Least Concern‘
Location: Breeds in bogs, swamps and streambanks across the lower two-thirds of Canada and Alaska and very northern US. Winters in a variety of forest, farm and garden habitats from southern Florida, Louisiana and Texas to northern South America and the Caribbean.
Size: Length = 4.7-5.5 in, Weight = 0.5-0.7 oz, Wingspan = 8.9-10 in
Notes: Very similar thrush-like appearance as the Louisiana Waterthrush, although underparts are whiter and “eyebrow” more buff-colored. Heavily streaked below.
Tropical Parula
Scientific Name: Setophaga pitiayumi
Population & Trend: 20 million, decreasing, ‘Least Concern‘
Location: Breeding range just barely extends into southern Texas. Otherwise, these forest and woodland birds reside year-long from Mexico all the way to northern Argentina.
Size: Length = 4.3-4.5 in, Weight = 0.2-0.3 oz
Notes: Colorful with blue-grey upperparts and yellow-orange underparts. Brighter-colored than the Northern Parula and lacks its white eye-arcs and chesnut breast band.
