Magnolia Warbler

Magnolia Warbler, breeding male

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Magnolia Warbler, breeding female, May

Magnolia Warbler, nonbreeding plumage, Cape May, NJ

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

The Magnolia Warbler is a handsome and familiar warbler of the northern forests. Though it often forages conspicuously and close to the ground, we have relatively scant information on its nesting behavior.

Description

• Small songbird.
• Yellow chest and throat.
• Black necklace and black stripes down sides.
• White wingbars or large white patch on wings.
• Gray crown.
• Yellow rump.
• Large white patch in black-tipped tail.

• Size: 11-13 cm (4-5 in)
• Wingspan: 16-20 cm (6-8 in)
• Weight: 6-15 g (0.21-0.53 ounces)

Sex Differences

Breeding male has a bold black-and-white facial pattern, wingbars fused into a broad white panel, and heavy black streaks down the sides and flanks. Female is duller, with mostly gray face and modest streaks on the sides.

Sound

Song short and weak whistled, "weta, weta, WETA." Call a nasal "zic."

Conservation Status

Populations increasing slightly throughout most of range.

Other Names

Paruline à tête cendrée (French)
Reinita Colifajeada, Verdin de los magnolias (Spanish)

Cool Facts

• Though it has very specific habitat preferences in the breeding season, the Magnolia Warbler occupies a very broad range of habitats in winter:  from sea level to 1,500 meters elevation, and most landscape types, except cleared fields.
• The name of the species was coined in 1810 by Alexander Wilson, who collected a specimen from a magnolia tree in Mississippi. He actually used the English name "Black-and-yellow Warbler" and used "magnolia" for the Latin species name, which became the common name over time.

• The male Magnolia Warbler has two songs. The first song, issued in courtship and around the nest, consists of three short phrases with an accented ending. The second song, possibly issued in territory defense against other males, is similar to the first but is sweeter and less accented.

Sources used to construct this page:

Hall, G. A. 1994. Magnolia Warbler (Dendroica magnolia). In The Birds of North Americaa, No. 136 (A. Poole and F. Gill, Eds.). Philadelphia: The Academy of Natural Sciences; Washington, D.C.: The American Ornithologists' Union.