A small gray-and-yellow warbler with distinctive black necklace. Declining 65%+ since 1966 due to boreal forest disturbance.

Also called: Canadian Warbler

Native status: Native; near threatened

§ Quick facts

SizeBody 13–15 cm (5.1–5.9 in); wingspan 19–22 cm
Weight9–12 g
LifespanWild typically 7+ years
OrderPasseriformes
FamilyParulidae

§ Encyclopedia

The Canada warbler is a small boreal songbird of the New World warbler family (Parulidae). It summers in Canada and northeastern United States and winters in northern South America.

Source: Wikipedia — Canada warbler Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

§ Identification

Field marks. Small warbler with slate-gray back and bright yellow underparts; distinctive black "necklace" of streaks across upper breast (males more pronounced); white eye ring.

Similar species. Magnolia Warbler (yellow rump, different head pattern). Hooded Warbler (yellow face, black hood). Kentucky Warbler (yellow face, no necklace).

Voice. Sweet rich "chip-chupety-swee-ditchety" song — variable.

§ Diet & behavior

Diet. Insects (caterpillars, beetles, flies, spiders) gleaned and flycatched from forest understory.

Behavior. Declined 64% since 1966 — among the steepest declines of any North American warbler. Specializes in cool, mature mixed and boreal forests with dense shrub understory and downed wood. Winters in Andean cloud forests of South America — also threatened by deforestation there. Among the latest spring migrants and earliest fall migrants.

§ Range

Boreal Canada and Appalachian US in summer

§ Habitat

Mature mixed and coniferous forests with shrub understory

§ Threats

Boreal forest loss, climate change, tropical wintering forest loss.

§ Conservation status

According to the IUCN Red List, the canada warbler is currently classified as Near Threatened.

§ What helps

Support old-growth boreal conservation. Maintain forest understory.

Support our work More ways to help

§ Further reading

§ Sources cited

  • Cornell Lab — All About Birds
  • American Bird Conservancy
  • Boreal Songbird Initiative
  • IUCN Red List 2018