From Opus

Photo by Chaiyan
Ames, Iowa, USA

Setophaga palmarum

Dendroica palmarum

[edit] Identification

Two colour forms:
Western birds are brown with light underparts, dark streaked breasts, grey-brown upperparts.
Eastern birds have brown-olive upperparts, yellow underparts, rusty streaked breasts and flanks.
Both have dark legs, and the bill is thin and pointed.
Adults have a rust coloured cap.

[edit] Distribution

Breeds from southern Northwest Territories, and Saskatchewan east across boreal Canada to Newfoundland; In the United States, northern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin, northern Michigan, Adirondacks on New York and Maine.
In migration found throughout the northeastern United States east of Texas. Winters in southeastern United States, Mexico and islands in the Caribbean.
Casual vagrant in the western United States.

[edit] Taxonomy

Formerly placed in genus Dendroica.

[edit] Subspecies¹

• S. p. hypochrysea (Eastern):

• Breeds south-eastern Canada and north-eastern US; winters to central Florida and northern Gulf Coast

• S. p. palmarum (Western):

• Breeds central and eastern Canada to northern US; winters to West Indies and Nicaragua

[edit] Habitat

Bog edges in boreal regions. In migration often found in weedy fields.

[edit] Behaviour

Wags tail constantly.

[edit] Breeding

Their nests are open cups, which are usually situated on, or near, the ground.

[edit] Diet

The diet includes insects and berries.

[edit] Vocalisation

Song a rather dull, uneven, buzzy trill zzizzizzizzizzizzi slightly changing in pitch and volume but overall steady; rather weak and infrequently heard.
Call a sharp, husky chik; closest to Prairie Warbler but stronger and deeper

[edit] Reference

1. Clements, JF. 2011. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to August 2011. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
2. Dunn, Jon; Garrett, Kimball. 1997. A Field Guide to Warblers of North America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 9780395783214
3. Avianweb

• List of references

[edit] External Links