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Winter: From the tropical zones of southern Veracruz and Oaxaca, through Chiapas, the base of the Yucatan Peninsula, to northern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela. Primarily found on the Caribbean slope of northern Central America, throughout Costa Rica and Panama. An uncommon transient through the West Indies, some may overwinter on eastern and southern West Indies islands. Breeding habitat Found in humid deciduous forest, dense second growth, and swamps, favoring forests with a slightly open canopy, dense understory, and well-developed ground cover. Most commonly found in medium-aged forests, although they occur in stands of various ages. Seldom found in conifers. Conservation status This warbler is of high conservation importance, because of its relatively small breeding distribution, its low density, and its association with mature forests both for breeding and on its tropical wintering grounds. Populations have been steadily declining in most areas, especially in the southern Appalachian region, with an overall loss of nearly 30% since 1966. Precise knowledge of habitat requirements, area sensitivity, and response to silviculture and other land-uses will be key to conserving future populations. Description Male: A relatively chunky, short-tailed, and long-legged warbler; upperparts are bright olive, underparts entirely yellow. Distinctive face pattern highlighted by black crown, yellow eyebrow that curls behind the eye, large black patch on face. Bold yellow spectacles separate black crown from black on face and sides of neck. Legs are pink. Female: Similar to adult male, but black areas are duller, sometimes reduced. Juvenile: Olive-brown above, wings are olive with two brown wing bars. Head and neck are unmarked olive-brown, underparts are yellow-brown, increasingly yellow on flanks and belly. Vocalizations Songs: A series of rolling musical notes, churry churry churry, with each note repeated about six times; can resemble the song of the Carolina Wren or Ovenbird, but lower in pitch and more slurred. Calls: Primary call is a distinctive low, sharp chuck. Foraging strategy Forages on the ground by rummaging through leaf litter, probing and tossing with its bill, and also scratching with its feet. Also feeds in shrubs, vines, and lower parts of trees. In breeding season, may feed by gleaning and hawking insects from leaves and twigs of shrubs and trees. Male pauses between singing bouts and feeds from his song perch, and female gleans reachable insects while incubating and brooding. Diet Insects, caterpillars, and small spiders during the breeding season, rarely taking seeds; in Mexico, may feed on Cecropia fruits. Also known to eat grasshoppers and locusts. Behavior and displays Courtship Nesting Nest site:
Female chooses site within minutes or up to 1 day after pair formation and copulation.
Most nests are usually hidden by overhanging vegetation or fallen branches, and built so
that the base rests on the ground, sometimes partly anchored by a small shrub. When wedged
in dead twigs near the ground, the base is within 1 inch (2–3 cm) of the ground. Height: Ranges
from on the ground to 10 feet (3 meters) above the ground. Nest: A cup of
grasses, plant fibers, and rootlets 2–4 inches (10–15 cm) deep is lined with
rootlets, weed stalks, and grasses and built on a bulky foundation of dead leaves. Eggs: 3–6
(typically 4) white or creamy white eggs are blotched, dotted, or spotted with grays,
browns, usually concentrated at large end. Incubation period:
Eggs are laid mainly in May or June, incubation (by female alone) lasting 12–13 days.
Nestling period:
Only female broods; both parents tend to young. Parents bring food to nest in their bills,
and insert it into mouth of the nestlings when they gape. Young leave nest at 8–10
days, before they can fly. Fledgling period:
If disturbed, nestlings leave the nest as early as 7 days. Young typically perch on low
twigs within meters of nest during their first hours and are fed there by parents.
Fledglings fly strongly by day 4, and follow parents to beg for up to 17 days. Broods:
Typically one brood, but sometimes two. Cowbird Parasitism: Commonly
parasitized by the Brown-headed Cowbird. |
from the eastern edge of the Great Plains to the
Atlantic Coast, ranging from southeastern Nebraska, southern Iowa, and southern Wisconsin
to southeastern New York and southwestern Connecticut, and occurring south to Texas and
the Gulf Coast to northwestern Florida. 
