Wilson's Warbler

Overview

Wilson's warbler is a small New World warbler that belongs to the genus Cardellina. It is a migratory passerine that breeds across Canada and the western United States before wintering in Mexico and Central America.

Identification

• Length ranges from 10 to 12 cm with a wingspan of 14–17 cm and a mass of 5–10 g.
• Features a plain green-brown back, bright yellow underparts, rounded wings, and a long, slim tail.
• Males possess a small black cap on the crown, while females may have this mark reduced or absent depending on the subspecies.
• The song consists of a chattering series of loud descending notes, and the call is described as a flat "chuff".

Habitat

Breeding habitat consists of fairly open woodland with undergrowth, shrubs, and thickets in moist areas near streams, ponds, and bogs. During winter, it inhabits overgrown clearings, coffee plantations, forest edges, and various mixed or tropical forests, generally preferring secondary growth and riparian habitats.

Diet

This insectivore feeds primarily on insects such as beetles, bees, and caterpillars, which it gleans from leaves and twigs or catches by flycatching. It also consumes a few berries and forages actively through shrubs, on the ground, and in taller trees.

Did you know?

The western subspecies, C. p. chryseola, has experienced a sharp population decline because its preferred migration destination in the Baja Peninsula has been replaced by luxury resort and residential developments. It is also a very rare vagrant to western Europe.