Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum hypochrysea) - 20230416-04
Subtly patterned brown-and-yellow warbler, known for constantly bobbing its tail. Often forages on the ground, unlike most other warblers. Breeding plumage shows a rufous cap. In fall and winter, look for pale eyebrow and dark line through the eye, diffuse streaks on underparts, and bright yellow undertail coverts. Two populations: “Western” is browner overall, brightest on the undertail coverts; “Yellow” is more suffused with yellow overall; they overlap extensively in range, especially during fall migration. Breeds in bogs and clearings in the boreal forest. In migration, found in a variety of open, shrubby habitats. One of the more common warblers wintering in the southern U.S.; also winters in the Caribbean and Yucatan Peninsula. (eBird)
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First warbler photo of the year. I was surprised to see this Palm Warbler so early in the year, but our local eBird reviewer and resident expert told me that the "yellow" subspecies migrates earlier than the "western" and will show up in unexpected locations. Our usual sub-species is the Western, with a tiny breeding population of Yellow in a local bog.
Britannia Conservation Area, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. April 2023.
Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum hypochrysea) - 20230416-04
Subtly patterned brown-and-yellow warbler, known for constantly bobbing its tail. Often forages on the ground, unlike most other warblers. Breeding plumage shows a rufous cap. In fall and winter, look for pale eyebrow and dark line through the eye, diffuse streaks on underparts, and bright yellow undertail coverts. Two populations: “Western” is browner overall, brightest on the undertail coverts; “Yellow” is more suffused with yellow overall; they overlap extensively in range, especially during fall migration. Breeds in bogs and clearings in the boreal forest. In migration, found in a variety of open, shrubby habitats. One of the more common warblers wintering in the southern U.S.; also winters in the Caribbean and Yucatan Peninsula. (eBird)
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First warbler photo of the year. I was surprised to see this Palm Warbler so early in the year, but our local eBird reviewer and resident expert told me that the "yellow" subspecies migrates earlier than the "western" and will show up in unexpected locations. Our usual sub-species is the Western, with a tiny breeding population of Yellow in a local bog.
Britannia Conservation Area, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. April 2023.