Wilson's Warbler

Wilson's Warbler, adult male; Ohio, May.

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Wilson's Warbler, adult female; California; April

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

A common warbler of willow thickets in the West and across Canada, the Wilson's Warbler is easily identified by its yellow underparts and black cap.

Description

• Small songbird.
• Underparts entirely yellow.
• Back olive green.
• Face yellow.
• Plain dark wings and tail.
• Male with black cap.

• Size: 10-12 cm (4-5 in)
• Wingspan: 14-17 cm (6-7 in)
• Weight: 5-10 g (0.18-0.35 ounces)

Sex Differences

Sexes similar, but female without black cap, or with a broken one.

Sound

A series of loud, rapid, chatter-like notes, dropping downward in pitch toward the end; not especially musical in quality. Call a soft, nasal "chip."

Conservation Status

No special status on federal lists, but priority species on several conservation listings of western states due to recent population declines and threats to breeding habitat. Degradation and loss of primary breeding habitat, western riparian woodlands, are likely among the leading causes of declines.

Other Names

Paruline à calotte noire (French)
Chipe coronoa negra, Reinita Gorrinegra, Reinita de Wilson, Chipe Careto, Reinita de Capucha, Chipe Coroninegro (Spanish)

Cool Facts

• The Wilson's Warbler is found in a large diversity of environments in the winter. It is the only migrant warbler regularly found in tropical high plains (paramo).
• The Wilson's Warbler trends toward brighter, richer coloration from the eastern part of the range to the west. The Pacific coast populations have the brightest yellow, even orangish, foreheads and faces. Western-central and Alaskan birds are slightly larger than the eastern and Pacific coast populations.

Sources used to construct this page:

Ammon, E. M., and W. M. Gilbert. 1999. Wilson?s Warbler (Wilsonia pusilla). In The Birds of North America, No. 478 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.