A small boreal warbler famous for transoceanic migration.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
The blackpoll warbler is a New World warbler. Breeding males are mostly black and white. They have a prominent black cap, white cheeks, and white wing bars. The blackpoll breeds in forests of northern North America, from Alaska throughout most of Canada, to the Adirondack Mountains of New York as well as New England in the Northeastern United States. They are a common migrant throughout much of North America. In fall, they fly south to the Greater Antilles and the northeastern coasts of South America in a non-stop long-distance migration over open water, averaging 2,500 km (1,600 mi), one of the longest-distance non-stop overwater flights ever recorded for a migratory songbird. Rare vagrants to western Europe, they are one of the more frequent transatlantic passerine wanderers.
Source: Wikipedia — Blackpoll warbler Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Breeding male like a tiny chickadee: black cap, white cheek, black malar streaks, streaked back, orange-pink legs. Fall birds dingy yellow-green with faint streaks and (often) pale legs and feet.
Similar species. Bay-breasted and Pine warblers in fall plumage are the main confusion; Blackpoll usually shows yellowish soles to the feet and crisper streaking.
Voice. One of the highest-pitched of all bird songs: a mechanical 'tsi-tsi-tsi-tsi-tsi' that swells then fades.
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. Insects (caterpillars primary), spiders, occasional berries on migration.
Behavior. Famous for an extraordinary fall migration — a nonstop transoceanic flight from the northeastern U.S. to South America, up to 3 days over open water. Breeds in northern spruce forest.
§ Range
Boreal Canada in summer; transoceanic migration
§ Habitat
Boreal forests
§ Threats
Boreal forest loss, climate change.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the blackpoll warbler is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Support boreal conservation.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Blackpoll warbler
- www.allaboutbirds.org — authoritative profile of Setophaga striata
- IUCN Red List — search for Setophaga striata
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Setophaga striata
§ Sources cited
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology — All About Birds
- National Audubon Society
- iNaturalist
- IUCN Red List
