A small warbler with bobbing tail. Despite the name, prefers bogs over palms. Most southerly-wintering of North American warblers.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
The palm warbler is a small songbird in the New World warbler family.
Source: Wikipedia — Palm warbler Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Yellow undertail coverts (all plumages), chestnut cap (breeding), and a yellow or whitish eyebrow. 'Yellow' (eastern) birds are bright yellow below; 'Western' birds are duller, whitish below.
Similar species. Prairie Warbler also tail-wags but is yellow below with black side streaks and face marks; Palm's tail-bobbing plus yellow vent is distinctive.
Voice. A weak, buzzy trill of even notes, somewhat insect-like.
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. Insects (caterpillars primary), spiders, occasional berries on migration.
Behavior. Forages mostly on the ground and low vegetation in open weedy areas and bog edges, constantly bobbing its tail up and down — a key behavioral clue.
§ Range
Boreal Canada in summer; winters southern US and Caribbean
§ Habitat
Bogs and boreal wetlands in summer; pinelands in winter
§ Threats
Boreal habitat loss, climate change.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the palm warbler is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Support boreal conservation. Maintain wetland habitats.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Palm warbler
- www.allaboutbirds.org — authoritative profile of Setophaga palmarum
- IUCN Red List — search for Setophaga palmarum
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Setophaga palmarum
§ Sources cited
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology — All About Birds
- National Audubon Society
- iNaturalist
- IUCN Red List
