Ovenbird

Ovenbird

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Ovenbird nest

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

A small, inconspicuous bird of the forest floor, the Ovenbird is one of the most characteristic birds of the eastern forests. Its loud song, "teacher, teacher, teacher," rings through the summer forest, but the bird itself is hard to see.

Description

• Small songbird.
• Olive brown back.
• White underside with bold, dark streaked spots.
• White eyering.
• Orange crown bordered by black stripes.

• Size: 11-14 cm (4-6 in)
• Wingspan: 19-26 cm (7-10 in)
• Weight: 16-28 g (0.56-0.99 ounces)

Sex Differences

Sexes alike.

Sound

A loud, ringing "cher, teacher, teacher, teacher."

Conservation Status

Maturation of forests in Northeast may be causing slight increases in the Ovenbird population. May be declining at edge of range.

Other Names

Paruline couronnée (French)
Pizpita dorada, Señorita del monte, Verdín suelero (Spanish)

Cool Facts

• On its breeding ground, the Ovenbird divides up the forest environment with the other warblers of the forest floor. The Ovenbird uses the uplands and moderately sloped areas, the Worm-eating Warbler uses the steep slopes, and the Louisiana Waterthrush and the Kentucky Warbler use the low-lying areas.

• The Ovenbird gets its name from its covered nest. The dome and side entrance make it resemble a Dutch oven.

• It's a tough life being a small migratory bird. Studies estimate that half of all adult Ovenbirds die each year. The oldest known Ovenbird was seven years old.

• Neighboring male Ovenbirds sing together. One male starts singing, and the second will join in immediately after. They pause, and then sing one after the other again, for up to 40 songs. The second joins in so quickly that they may sound from a distance as if only one bird is singing. Ovenbirds rarely overlap the song of their neighbors.

Sources used to construct this page:

Van Horn, M. A. and T. M. Donovan. 1994. Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapillus). In The Birds of North America, No. 88 (A. Poole, and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.