Blackpoll Warbler

Dendroica striata

Order PASSERIFORMES - Family PARULIDAE

Menu

1. Cool Facts
2. Description
3. Similar Species
4. Sound
5. Range
6. Habitat
7. Food
8. Behavior
9. Reproduction
10. Conservation Status
11. Other Names

One of the most common birds of the northern boreal forest, the Blackpoll Warbler flies all the way to South America to spend the winter.

Cool Facts

• The song of the male Blackpoll Warbler is one of the highest-pitched of all birds.
• Part of the fall migratory route of the Blackpoll Warbler is over the Atlantic Ocean from the northeastern United States to Puerto Rico, the Lesser Antilles, or northern South America. This route averages 3,000 km (1,864 mi) over water, requiring a potentially nonstop flight of up to 88 hours. To accomplish this flight, the Blackpoll Warbler nearly doubles its body mass and takes advantage of a shift in prevailing wind direction to direct it to its destination.

Description

• Size: 14 cm (6 in)
• Wingspan: 21-23 cm (8-9 in)
• Weight: 12-13 g (0.42-0.46 ounces)

• Small songbird.
• Breeding male with black cap, white cheek, black mustache stripe, and white throat.
• White chest with thin black stripes down sides.
• Two white wingbars.
• Fall birds greenish on back and chest, with faint chest stripes.

• White spots in tail.
• Legs yellow-orange.
• Streaks on back.

Sex Differences

Breeding male with black cap and white cheeks, female lacks cap and is duller.

Male

Breeding (Alternate) Plumage: Back cap, white cheek, black mustache stripe, white throat, white chest with thin black stripes down sides. Two white wingbars. Back gray with black stripes. Tail dark with white spots on corners. Legs and feet orange-yellow.
Nonbreeding (Basic) Plumage: Lacks black crown. Crown, nape, and upperparts yellowish olive-green, streaked with black. Chest pale yellow, faintly streaked with dark. Rump grayish and unstreaked. Indistinct yellow eyestripe. Wings and tail blackish. Two broad white wingbars on each wing.

Female

Breeding (Alternate) Plumage: Back and wings gray to olive-green, with blackish streaks on crown, nape, and back. Pale whitish eyestripe. Two white wingbars. Tail with white spots. Legs and feet orange-yellow.
Nonbreeding (Basic) Plumage: Grayish olive on back, with blackish streaks. Chest and face pale yellowish, with faint streaks on chest.

Immature

Similar to fall adults, but duller and with less streaking. Legs may be dark, but soles of feet are orange-yellow.

Similar Species

• Black-and-white Warbler has a striped crown and a black-and-white striped back; male has dark throat and face patch.
• In fall, very similar to Bay-breasted Warbler, which has some buff or rufous along sides, is brighter green on back, mostly lacks streaking on underparts, has buff undertail coverts, less defined eyestripe, and dark legs and feet.
• Pine Warbler is unstreaked on back.

Sound

Song a very high-pitched "tsit, tsit, tsit, tsit, tsit, tsit."

»listen to songs of this species

Range

Summer Range

Breeds from Alaska to Newfoundland, southward to very northeastern United States.

Winter Range

Winters in South America.

Habitat

Breeds in boreal coniferous forest (primarily spruce) and woodland, mixed coniferous-deciduous second growth, tall shrubs, and alder thickets; in migration and winter found in a variety of forest, woodland, scrub and brushy habitats.

Food

Insects and spiders, fruit during migration.

Behavior

Foraging

Prey usually gleaned from foliage or twigs.

Reproduction

Nest Type

Open cup of twigs and lichens, lined with grasses, fine plant fibers, and feathers. In small tree.

Egg Description

White, buff, or pale green with brown spots all over and purplish blotches around the larger end.

Clutch Size

3-5 eggs.

Condition at Hatching

Helpless.

Conservation Status

Common and widespread. Some declines have been noted, but more data are needed.

Other Names

Paruline rayée (French)
Chipe gorra negra (Spanish)

Sources used to construct this page:

Hunt, P. D., and B. C. Eliason. 1999. Blackpoll Warbler (Dendroica striata). In The Birds of North America, No. 431 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.