Chestnut-sided Warbler (Dendroica pensylvanica)

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A Field Guide to Warblers of North America (The Peterson Field Guide Series). by Kimball L. Garrett, Jon L. Dunn, Cindy House (Illustrator)

Warblers of Eastern North America

Recording by John R. Sauer, U.S. Geological Survey

Chestnut-sided Warbler (Dendroica pensylvanica)

Identification: 4.25 inches from tip of bill to tip of tail.

Breeding Male: The Chestnut-sided Warbler is a distinctive species with a white belly, breast, and throat with broad, rusty-red streaks along both sides. The head is white with a black mask and the cap is yellow. White wing bars are present.

Female: The female is similar to the male, but the rusty-red bands on the side are weaker as is the black mask on the face.

Fall Male and Female: The fall male and female lack all of the characteristics of the breeding male and female. The fall plumage is dull. The back is olive green as in the crown of the head. The side of the head and the undersides are dull white without black or other color streaks.. The wing bars are yellow and present.

Immature: Similar to the fall male and female.

Similar Species: The breeding male and female are very distinctive. The only species of warbler with rusty-red on the sides is the Bay-breasted Warbler. The rusty-red of the Bay-breasted Warbler is far more extensive than that of the Chestnut-sided Warbler and the head is rusty-red and black. Fall males, females, and immatures are much more difficult to identify. However these fall individuals are the only warbler (except one) with yellow wing bars. In addition there is a conspicuous white eye ring, the undersides are dull white and unstreaked, and the face is gray-white. The Golden-winged Warbler also has yellow wing bars, but it has a dull black throat and cheek patch.

Breeding Range (see map below): The Chestnut-sided Warbler occurs throughout the northeastern United States and Canada from Nova Scotia in the east to eastern British Columbia in the west. In the east the species breeds as far south as Pennsylvania, extending further south in the Appalachian Mountains to northern Georgia.

Overwintering Range: American tropics.

Habitat:  This species prefers young, second growth woodlands and scrub.

Food: Insects.

Behavior: The song is rich and musical with an emphatic ending. The song is sometimes translated into Very pleased to meet cha!

Reproduction: The nest is constructed of grass and bark lined with hair and small roots. Clutch size is between 3 and 5. Incubation takes about 12 days and the young are fledged 10 to 12 days later.

Notes: The Chestnut-sided Warbler breeds in secondary growth and has benefited from the activities of mankind.