Kentucky Warbler

Kentucky Warbler, male

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Kentucky 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 bird of the deciduous forests of the southeastern United States, the Kentucky Warbler's loud song can be heard far more frequently than the brightly-colored bird can be seen. It stays near the ground and the lower levels of the forest, and nests on the ground.

Description

• Small songbird.
• Underparts entirely yellow.
• Back olive green.
• Black "sideburns" down side of face and throat.
• Yellow eyestripe wrapping around back of eye to form spectacles.
• No wingbars or tail spots.

• Size: 13 cm (5 in)
• Wingspan: 18-22 cm (7-9 in)
• Weight: 10-14 g (0.35-0.49 ounces)

Sex Differences

Sexes similar, but female with less black.

Sound

Song a loud series of "chuuree" notes. Call a smacking "chip."

Conservation Status

May be declining slightly in much of range.

Other Names

Paruline du Kentucky (French)
Chipe patilludo (Spanish)

Cool Facts

• Unlike most songbirds, a male Kentucky Warbler appears to sing only one song type. He will sing the same one throughout his life. Although counter-singing males do not match each other's song types the way many bird species do, a male may match the pitch of a competitor's song.

Sources used to construct this page:

McDonald, M. V. 1998. Kentucky Warbler (Oporornis formosus). In The Birds of North America, No. 324 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.