A small warbler with bright yellow face, black throat, and olive-green back. One of the easier warblers to identify and one of the more common in boreal forests.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
The black-throated green warbler is a small songbird of the New World warbler family.
Source: Wikipedia — Black-throated green warbler Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Bright yellow face framing an olive crown and ear patch, black throat and upper breast (streaked on females/immatures), white wing bars, yellowish wash on the vent.
Similar species. Townsend's and Hermit warblers share the yellow face but occur in the West; Golden-cheeked is restricted to central Texas and has a black crown.
Voice. Two buzzy songs: a dreamy 'zee-zee-zee-zoo-zee' and 'zoo-zee-zoo-zoo-zee'.
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. Insects (caterpillars primary), spiders, occasional berries on migration.
Behavior. An active canopy forager in conifers and mixed woods, often hovering at branch tips. One of the most frequently heard warblers of northern and Appalachian forests.
§ Range
Eastern Canada and US Appalachians
§ Habitat
Coniferous and mixed forests
§ Threats
Boreal forest loss, climate change.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the black-throated green warbler is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Support boreal and Appalachian forest conservation.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Black-throated green warbler
- www.allaboutbirds.org — authoritative profile of Setophaga virens
- IUCN Red List — search for Setophaga virens
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Setophaga virens
§ Sources cited
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology — All About Birds
- National Audubon Society
- iNaturalist
- IUCN Red List
