The blackburnian warbler is aptly named, with its strong black markings and bright orange and yellow flame-like coloring. The distinctive song and characteristic warbler energy make this bird a joy to observe and a great addition to any birder’s life list.
Common Name:
Blackburnian Warbler
Scientific Name:
Dendroica fusca
Appearance:
- Bill: Dark, short, thin
- Size: 5 inches long with 8-inch wingspan, long body
- Colors: Orange, yellow, black, white, olive gray, buff
- Markings: Dimorphic species. Males have a bold orange or orange-yellow head heavily striped with black, and the upper chest and throat are orange. The nape of the neck is black and the face has a black cheek patch. The back, tail and wings are black with white patches, and the abdomen is buff white with thin black streaks on the flanks. Undertail coverts are white. Females have identical markings but are yellow instead of orange and olive gray instead of black.
Foods:
Insects, caterpillars, berries
Habitat and Migration:
Blackburnian warblers are common summer birds in coniferous and hardwood forests in the northeastern United States as well as throughout Michigan and the northern portions of Wisconsin and Minnesota. Northern populations extend through the southern areas of eastern and central Canadian provinces, and southern populations can occupy a thin strip in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains. In winter, blackburnian warblers migrate to South America, including Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador.
Vocalizations:
The blackburnian warbler’s most common call is a rapid, high pitched, repetitive “chee-ip chee-ip chee-ip” though they will also make solitary chirps and buzzes.
Behavior:
These are solitary birds that may be found in pairs, though after the nesting season they will travel in mixed flocks of warblers, chickadees, nuthatches and kinglets with their fledglings. Blackburnian warblers feed by perching in treetops to hunt insects to snatch out of the air before returning to the same perch.
Reproduction:
These are monogamous birds and pairs will raise one brood of 4-6 eggs during the nesting season. Females incubate the eggs for 11-13 days and both parents will feed the altricial young for 9-12 days after hatching.
Attracting Blackburnian Warblers:
Blackburnian warblers readily visit backyard feeders that offer suet or mealworms. Birders should avoid spraying pesticides that would eliminate insects as a food source, and leaving hardwood or coniferous trees intact will give these birds a preferred place to perch.
Similar Birds:
- Yellow-Throated Warbler (Dendroica dominica)
- Townsend’s Warbler (Dendroica townsendi)
- Black-Throated Green Warbler (Dendroica virens)
Photo – Male Blackburnian Warbler © Wyld Art Photography
