Red-faced Warbler

Red-faced Warbler, male

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Red-faced Warbler, female

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

The Red-faced Warbler is a colorful bird of the Mexican mountains. In the United States it is found only in the high elevation forests of Arizona and New Mexico.

Description

• Small songbird.
• Face and upper breast bright red.
• Body gray.
• Black patch on top of head and down face.

• Size: 14 cm (6 in)
• Wingspan: 21 cm (8 in)
• Weight: 8-11 g (0.28-0.39 ounces)

Sex Differences

Sexes similar, female has paler and more orange-red face.

Sound

Song a musical series of warbling notes, rising and falling in pitch.

Conservation Status

Populations difficult to track; may be declining slightly.

Other Names

Paruline à face rouge (French)
Coloradito, Gorjeador cora roja, Gorjeador cabecirroja, Chipe de cara roja (Spanish)

Cool Facts

• Either sex can solicit copulations in the breeding season. Both quiver their wings when soliciting. The male shows off his white rump patch as much as possible, keeping it oriented to the female while moving around her.

• Extra-pair copulations are common in the species. Over 45% of all nests in one study contained young that did not belong to the apparent breeding male.

• The Red-faced Warbler seems to be sensitive to disturbance of its breeding habitat. Logging can cause the decrease in numbers or complete disappearance from an area.

Sources used to construct this page:

1. Martin, T. E., and P. M. Barber. 1995. Red-faced Warbler (Cardellina rubrifrons). In The Birds of North America, No. 152 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.
2. Pyle, P. 1997. Identification Guide to North American Birds. Part I. Columbidae to Ploceidae. Slate Creek Press, Bolinas, CA.