Yellow Warbler (Dendroica petechia)

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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

Yellow Warbler (Dendroica petechia)

Identification: 4 inches from tip of bill to tip of tail.

Breeding Male: The male Yellow Warbler is easily identified by the yellow head, throat, breast, and belly. The breast and belly are streaked with rusty-red. Wing bars are present.

Female: The female is duller than the male. The back and the top of the head are olive-green. The throat, breast, and belly are yellow, but only a hint of the rusty-red streaking of the male is present.

Fall Male and Female: Similar to the breeding male and female.

Immature: Similar to the fall male and female.

Similar Species: The male is easily identified by the yellow underside with the conspicuous rusty-red streaking. Females and immatures are considerably more difficult to identify.The Blue-winged Warbler and the Orange-crowned Warbler both have a black line running through the eye. This line is absent in the Yellow Warbler female and immature. Wilson's Warbler has a constrasting yellow band over the eye. This contrasting band is missing in the female and immature of the Yellow Warbler.

Breeding Range (see map below): The Yellow Warblr is one of the most widespread warblers in North America occurring just about everwhere except the southeastern and south-central United States and the extreme tundra in the north.

Overwintering Range:  America tropics.

Habitat: Usually found in thick brush by streams and marshes.

Food: Insects.

Behavior: The song is a musical sweet-sweet-sweet, sweeter-than sweet.

Reproduction: The nest is constructed of bark, plant fibers, and down. The nest is usually placed in the fork of a small tree or bush. The clutch consists of 4 or 5 pale blue eggs. Incubation takes about 12 days and the young are ready to leave the nest 10 to 12 days later.

Notes: This species has a local breeding population in southern Florida among the Mangroves. This population make have a rusty-red crown.