Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)
The Yellow Warbler is one of the easiest birds to identify within Alberta. The remarkable yellow of their feathers makes them easy to spot when they’re perched at the top of a tree. The distinct whistling sound of a male Yellow Warbler can typically be heard throughout forests and wetlands in Alberta.
HOW TO IDENTIFY
- Small size. The Yellow Warbler is usually 12-13 cm in length with a wingspan of 16-20cm
- While both sexes are bright yellow, male birds tend to have red streaks on their chest, something not commonly seen on the female birds.
- The birds have a yellow-green back with solid black eyes.
- To identify the Yellow Warbler as it flies by, look for these clues:
- Male birds sometimes defend their nest by fluttering their wings while in the air
- Hop along branches or hover briefly while foraging for insects
- Yellow Warbler migrations takes place at night
- The Yellow Warbler can take off flying instantly, with their wings going straight back until perpendicular with the body
Identify by Sound
The males have unique whistling sounds for a variety of purposes. Some people say their territorial song sounds like they are saying “sweet sweet sweet, I’m so sweet“. Click here to listen to their songs and calls!
WHERE TO FIND
In Alberta, the Yellow Warbler can be seen throughout the province, typically found among the branches of low lying Aspen trees. In winter months the Yellow Warbler can be found in forests as well as marshes. Breeding season is spent in wetlands, as they prefer to breed in habitats with plenty of regrowth.
For the winter (around October to April), these birds migrate south as far as South America!
Yellow Warblers differ only slightly across continental North America. Various subspecies that live year-round in the Caribbean and in mangrove forests of Central and South America have bright chestnut on the crown or over the entire head; these subspecies are often referred to as “Golden” or “Mangrove” Yellow Warblers. There is a very small population of “Mangrove” Yellow Warblers in extreme south Texas.
SOCIAL LIFE
They are a migratory species and regularly spend winters in Central America to South America
Every year, Yellow Warbler’s form pairs that last through till the end of the breeding season. These pairs are monogamous and can meet again for multiple seasons.
Both parents help with the feeding of baby Yellow Warblers, and the male assists the female with the construction of the nest
Males sing their sweet, whistled songs from high perches. Males attract a female to a potential territory by singing
NESTING
The female builds the nest over a period of about 4 days. First she builds a cup of grasses, bark strips, and plants such as nettles. She places plant fibers, spiderwebs, and plant down around the outside. The inner cup is lined with deer hair, feathers, and fibers from cottonwood, dandelion, willow, and cattail seeds. If a cowbird lays its eggs in a Yellow Warbler’s nest, the warbler often begins building a new nest directly on top of the old one, abandoning both its own eggs and the cowbird’s.
FOOD CHAIN
Yellow Warblers eat mainly insects. Look for Yellow Warblers near the tops of tall shrubs and small trees. They forage restlessly, with quick hops along small branches and twigs to glean caterpillars and other insects.
Common predators of the Yellow Warbler nests include small animals such as the red squirrel, weasel, crows and ravens, and others
Cup shaped nests are built in small trees or shrubs in order to avoid predation
FUN FACTS
Yellow Warblers make a hissing sound when defending their habitat.
These birds are so tiny, they can be caught in a spider’s web!
how you can help
Avoid using pesticides that could harm insect populations.
Keep your watershed healthy! Follow all directions when using dangerous chemicals and make sure to dispose of them properly afterwards. This will help keep our wetlands (and the Yellow Warbler) safe.
Small migrants like warblers can get caught and stuck in burdock, an invasive plant that produces spiky hooked burrs. Make your yard a safe habitat for warblers by managing invasive weeds like burdock.