Wood Warbler vs. Arctic Warbler (1 Viewer)

shishmarefbirder

Well-known member

• Jun 7, 2018

• #1

How does one tell the difference between Wood Warblers and Arctic Warblers? Here on the western shores of the Seward Peninsula Arctic Warbler is always the go to since a Wood Warbler would be a rare site although not out of the question. I am 99% sure the bird in the photo is an Arctic but with sightings to the south at Gambell, AK I want to learn.

 

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Microtus

Maryland USA (he/him)

• Jun 7, 2018

• #2

When did you take this photo?

 

shishmarefbirder

Well-known member

• Jun 7, 2018

• #3

I took the photo last night/early this morning (maybe after midnight).

 

S

SteveClifton

Well-known member

• Jun 7, 2018

• #4

Totally wrong for Wood Warbler, which is longer winged, shorter-tailed and with brighter green overall plumage, usually with lemon yellow throat and face markings.
This looks spot on for Arctic Warbler, as you suspected.

 

E

Earnest lad

Well-known member

• Jun 7, 2018

• #5

I read somewhere that with the Arctic Warbler the supercilium often curves upwards toward the rear; That certainly seems to be the case with the bird in your photo. When I looked at google image search of Wood Warblers with the ones I saw, the superciliums (Supercilia?) didn't have that feature.

 

KenM

Well-known member

• Jun 8, 2018

• #6

How do you discount Greenish?

Cheers

 

Torchepot

Well-known member

• Jun 8, 2018

• #7

Only able to view on a small tablet but bill looks wrong for Greenish and spot on for Arctic

 

S

skbirder

Well-known member

• Jun 8, 2018

• #8

It IS an Arctic Warbler. Wood Warbler is a much brighter and more contrasting bird – bright greenish above with purer white underparts contrasting with yellow throat and breast, and with no wingbar.

 

S

Simon Wates

Well-known member

• Jun 8, 2018

• #9

Agree that Wood Warbler is much different, they really stand out and their very long PP and massive undertail coverts that make the tail look short apart from the above mentioned features don't really make Arctic a confusion with Wood.

 

Torchepot

Well-known member

• Jun 8, 2018

• #10

shishmarefbirder - I forgot to say - what an extraordinary place to live!! :t:

 

rockfowl

Mark Andrews

• Jun 9, 2018

• #11

It is certainly an Arctic type but i would have thought a Kamchatka was possible given the locality although borealis the more likely. Sound recordings of the call would be useful.

 

shishmarefbirder

Well-known member

• Jun 11, 2018

• #12

Thank you for all the insights all of you have given. Europeans have much more contact with these birds. They didn't make a peep the entire time I was around. And yes Shishmaref is an amazing place to live.