A small wood-warbler with a distinctive black "Lone Ranger" mask on bright yellow underparts. Their "wichity-wichity-wichity" song fills North American wetlands and brushlands all summer.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
The common yellowthroat is a New World warbler. It is an abundant breeder in North America, ranging from southern Canada to central Mexico. In the northern parts of its range the birds are migratory, wintering in the southern parts of the breeding range, Central America and the West Indies. Southern forms are largely resident. Historically, it has also been known as the "yellow bandit", Maryland yellow-throat, and yellow-breasted warbler.
Source: Wikipedia — Common yellowthroat Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Males: black mask across face; yellow throat and breast; olive back. Females lack the mask.
Similar species. Yellow Warbler (no mask). Other warblers lack the bandit mask combination.
Voice. Distinctive "witchedy-witchedy-witchedy" song.
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. Caterpillars and insects (primary); berries in late summer.
Behavior. Among the easiest warblers to attract to gardens. Sings persistently. Both genders care for young.
§ Range
Throughout most of North America in summer
§ Habitat
Marshes, dense thickets, brushy fields
§ Threats
Wetland and brushland loss, brood parasitism by cowbirds, climate-driven habitat shifts.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the common yellowthroat is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Maintain shrubby wetland edges. Avoid mowing brushy field corners. Support cowbird-management research.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Common yellowthroat
- www.allaboutbirds.org — authoritative profile of Geothlypis trichas
- IUCN Red List · taxon 22721836
- iNaturalist · taxon 9598
- eBird · comyel
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Geothlypis trichas
§ Sources cited
- Cornell Lab — All About Birds
- National Audubon Society
- iNaturalist
- IUCN Red List 2018
