From Opus

Current revision

Male. Photo by bobsofpa.
Location: Cottonwood Campground, Big Bend National Park, Texas, USA

Oreothlypis virginiae

Vermivora virginiae

[edit] Identification

Small - 12cm (4.75") overall gray warbler with weak yellow crissum and upper chest. Distinctive bold white eye-ring. Males have small orange crown, often difficult to see.

[edit] Similar species

The closely related Nashville Warbler is the same size and general appearance, but there is no range overlap, and it has much brighter and extensive yellow plumage and a green back. Look also at Lucy's Warbler and Colima Warbler.

[edit] Distribution

In summer, can be found in Nevada, southern Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico. Migrates south in winter to western Mexico: northern Jalisco and Guanajuato to Oaxaca.

[edit] Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species¹.

It was formerly included in Vermivora, Gill and Donsker place it in Leiothlypis.

[edit] Habitat

Dry brush and scrub woodlands of pine and oak, rocky canyons.

[edit] Behaviour

They build their cup shaped nests from moss, grass, strips of bark, and roots, on the ground, hidden amongst dead leaves and tufts of grass at the base of a shrub or young tree. 3 to 5 white, dotted with fine brown speckles, eggs are laid. Both parents care for the young.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
2. 51st supplement to the AOU checklist of North American birds

[edit] External Links