By Kristen Currie
Golden-cheeked Warbler with Caterpillar Photo Courtesy: Gil Eckrich
Undoubtedly there will be more temperature swings in March, but that won’t deter warblers arriving from Mexico and Central America. Many of our early March arrivals have plans to nest in Texas. As it gets later in the month and into April, numbers of those same species will swell as birds push north beyond Texas to breed. One exception is the endangered Golden-cheeked Warbler. All Golden-cheeks are native Texans; they breed nowhere else. It is a bird dependent on Hill Country topography and vegetation. It needs long strips of mature Ashe Juniper bark to make its nest. Three other native trees key to Golden-cheeks’ continued survival are the deciduous Texas Red Oak just leafing out now, Live Oak, and Cedar Elm. If you want to read more about the relationship between Golden-cheeked Warblers and the trees they feed on, see this information by entomologist Mike Quinn, who studied their foraging patterns for his Master’s thesis.
The Golden-cheeked Warbler males should be arriving any day now and the females will follow about a week later. If you live adjacent to one of the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve (BCP) tracts you may soon hear the male’s buzzy song, as he claims his territory and tries to attract a female. Later in the season, the song changes. Listen to the two song types here. If you would like to see or at least hear a Golden-cheeked Warbler, Turkey Creek Trail at Emma Long Park has been reliable in the past. St. Edward’s Park in NW Austin is another place to check, as is Wild Basin. The Balcones Songbird Festival in late April has Golden-cheeked Warbler tours to Balcones Canyonlands National Refuge tracts that are normally closed to the public. Doeskin Ranch and Warbler Vista are a couple of locations at the refuge open to the public where these special warblers occur.
Black-throated Green Warbler Photo Courtesy: James Giroux
One identification challenge for bird watchers is to separate the Golden-cheeked Warbler from the Black-throated Green Warbler. The males both have black throats, but the male Golden-cheeked has a bright yellow cheek with a black line running through its eye to the nape and a black crown and back. The Black-throated Green has a green back, a yellow face with a greenish patch behind its eye, and a greenish head. The females present more of a challenge. Use the phone app Merlin to help you. There are other differences including their songs. Black-throated Greens don’t nest in Texas, and will continue to move through Texas into May. The later it gets in spring migration, the less likely you are to encounter a Golden-cheeked outside its expected habitat.
Other early warblers that will nest here in small numbers include Louisiana Waterthrush, Northern Parula, Black-and-White Warbler, and the rare for Austin Yellow-throated Warbler. You can learn more about them at the Allaboutbirds.org website. They all have distinctive songs. Follow your ears and if you are lucky, you may see one. Northern Parulas favor Commons Ford Ranch Metro Park, Yellow-throated Warblers like cypress trees along the Colorado River, Black-and-White Warblers occur in Golden-cheeked Warbler habitat, and the Louisiana Waterthrush likes Hill Country streams. Like most birds, these warblers are sensitive to human disturbance, so enjoy them from a distance so their progeny will be here for our descendants to enjoy.
Northern Parula Photo Courtesy: James Giroux
Black-and-White Warbler Photo Courtesy: Craig Browning
Yellow-throated Warbler Photo Courtesy: James Giroux
Wiggly Caterpillars are Pillars of the Songbird Community
The caterpillars that feed on oaks and other native trees are critical food for breeding and nestling birds. Some of those little caterpillars may dangle from trees on silken threads and crawl on you. Some of those are the caterpillar of the oakleaf roller moth. It’s slightly creepy, but they are great baby food that are easy on the young birds’ digestive tracts, and packed with protein and fat. No need to get out the pesticides. Just let nature takes its course. They are harmless, and the warblers and other songbirds feast on them during migration and nesting. Keep in mind that it takes 6,000 to 9,000 caterpillars to raise a brood of songbirds, so it is a small attitude-adjustment price to pay for the next generation of birds.
Hummingbirds Arriving Soon
Ruby-throated Hummingbird at Turk’s Cap Photo Courtesy: James Giroux
The later it gets in March the more likely there will be a hummingbird checking out your neighborhood for food. Both Black-chinned Hummingbirds and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are the expected species, and both appreciate native plants that give them their nectar fix, and that support the insects like aphids and gnats they need for protein. Do yourself and hummingbirds a favor, and plant a native like Turk’s Cap. Don’t have a yard? Get permission and plant one in your local park or greenbelt. They are easy to grow, and easier than maintaining a feeder. Travis Audubon has a recommended hummingbird plant list.
