A small warbler that walks along streamsides like a sandpiper. Excellent indicator of clean cool stream health.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
The Louisiana waterthrush is a New World warbler, that breeds in eastern North America and winters in the West Indies and Central America. Plain brown above, it is white below, with black streaks and with buff flanks and undertail, distinguishing it from the closely related northern waterthrush. The habitats it prefers are streams and their surroundings, and other wet areas.
Source: Wikipedia — Louisiana waterthrush Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Brown above, white below with bold dark streaking, a broad white eyebrow that flares behind the eye, and bubblegum-pink legs. Clean white (not yellow-tinged) throat.
Similar species. Northern Waterthrush is nearly identical but has a narrower, buffy-yellow eyebrow of even width and a finely spotted throat; prefers stiller water.
Voice. Song begins with 3–4 clear slurred whistles then tumbles into a jumbled twitter.
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. Insects (caterpillars primary), spiders, occasional berries on migration.
Behavior. Walks and teeters along fast-flowing woodland streams, bobbing its rear end constantly; one of the earliest spring migrants. An indicator of clean, well-oxygenated streams.
§ Range
Eastern North American streams in summer
§ Habitat
Forested streams with clean cool water
§ Threats
Stream pollution, climate change, forest fragmentation.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the louisiana waterthrush is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Support clean cool streams. Maintain forested stream buffers.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Louisiana waterthrush
- www.allaboutbirds.org — authoritative profile of Parkesia motacilla
- IUCN Red List — search for Parkesia motacilla
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Parkesia motacilla
§ Sources cited
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology — All About Birds
- National Audubon Society
- iNaturalist
- IUCN Red List
