Northern Parula Warbler (Parula americana)

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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

Northern Parula Warbler (Parula americana)

Identification: 3.75 inches from tip of bill to tip of tail.

Breeding Male: The back and head are blue with a slight gray tinge and the back has a yellowish saddle. The throat and breast are yellow with a central red patch darker above than below. The rest of the underside is white. This warbler is smaller than other species of warblers. White wing bars are present as well as a white eye-ring and a fine, black line running through the eye.

Female: Similar to the male, but the red patch between the throat and breast is absent.

Fall Male and Female: The fall male and female are similar to the breeding individuals.

Immature: Similar to the female, but the coloration is duller and tinged with olive-brown.

Similar Species: The Northern Parula Warbler is unlike any other warbler species in eastern North America. The Tropical Parula Warbler from southern Texas and Mexico is similar, but has a large, black mask about the eye and the male does not have a reddish patch on the throat and breast.

Breeding Range (see map below): The Northern Parula Warbler breeds throughout the eastern half of North America from southern Canada southward throughout the southern United States. The species extends westward as far as North Dakota in the north to eastern Texas in the south.

Overwintering Range: American tropics.

Habitat: The Northern Parula Warbler breeds in both coniferous and deciduous woods, particularly if they are wet. The species is commonly found near swamps, lakes, and ponds.

Food: Insects.

Behavior: The song consists of a rising buzzy note, dropping suddenly near the end.

Reproduction: The nest is constructed of grass, bark, and other plant fibers. The nest is almost always hidden in a mass of lichens or spanish moss. The clutch consists of 4 to 5 white eggs spotted with brown.