Yellow Warbler
Sialia sialis
Content and photos by James Giroux
(Featured photo: Male Yellow Warbler)
Believe it or not, fall migration is upon us, and one of the earliest fall songbird migrants to pass through Central Texas is the Yellow Warbler. They usually start showing up in the Austin area the first week of August, and peak around the first week of September. The Yellow Warbler is one of the easiest warblers to identify, as it is almost entirely yellow. There are no markings on the head, and the black eye really stands out against the bright yellow.
FEMALE
Males differ from females in that they have reddish streaking on the breast, and they are a little bit brighter yellow overall. Females could potentially be confused with female Hooded or Wilson’s Warblers, but again, the key is that the Yellow Warbler has no markings on the head.
Note that both Hooded and Wilson’s females have a greenish-black cap. Did I say that Yellow Warbler ID was easy? Well maybe not entirely. The first-year female might trip you up. She can be very pale and drab as seen below.
First-year female
There are non-migrating subspecies of Yellow Warblers that live in the Caribbean and in mangrove forests of Central and South America. The males of this subspecies are very distinctive and sport a brick-red head. This subspecies is called the “Mangrove” Warbler, and there is a small population of these birds at the southern tip of Texas.
Mangrove Warbler – Photo by Luke Seitz
Yellow Warblers – like most warblers – are bug eaters, and can often be seen up in the tree canopy searching for and eating a variety of caterpillars and insects.
When it comes to nesting, once they have found a good nesting location, Yellow Warblers are often reluctant to leave it. They will often build new nests right on top of an old nest. Nests have been found up to six “stories” tall!
In summer, Yellow Warblers can be found across the entire width of the United States. They are one of the most widespread and numerous warbler species.
During migration (April-May and August-September), good places to find Yellow Warblers in the Austin area include Commons Ford Park, Hornsby Bend and Mills Pond.
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