Pine Warbler

Pine Warbler, male

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Pine Warbler, female

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1. Description
2. Sound
3. Conservation Status
4. Other Names
5. Cool Facts
6. Full detailed species account

A warbler with a truly appropriate name, the Pine Warbler is a characteristic bird of eastern pine woodlands. It is rarely found in deciduous vegetation except during migration.

Description

• Small songbird; large warbler.
• Yellow throat and chest with dirty dark streaks on sides.
• Two white wingbars.

• Size: 13-14 cm (5-6 in)
• Wingspan: 19-23 cm (7-9 in)
• Weight: 9-15 g (0.32-0.53 ounces)

Sex Differences

Sexes similar, but female duller and with more brownish back.

Sound

Song a musical trill.

Conservation Status

Populations increasing in most of range.

Other Names

Paruline des pins (French)
Chipe pinero (Spanish)

Cool Facts

• The Pine Warbler is the only warbler that eats large quantities of seeds, primarily those of pines. This seed-eating ability often brings them to bird feeders where they eat seeds in addition to suet.

• The Pine Warbler is one of the first warblers to return to the North in spring, arriving as early as February in areas just north of the wintering range. It is one of the earliest breeding warblers too, starting in late April or May in the northern part of the range.

• Migrant Pine Warblers from the northern part of the range join resident Pine Warblers in the southern United States in winter. Sometimes they form large flocks of 50 to 100 or more.

Sources used to construct this page:

Rodewald, P. G., J. H. Withgott, and K. G. Smith. 1999. Pine Warbler (Dendroica pinus). In The Birds of North America, No. 438 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.