Leiothlypis crissalis
The Colima Warbler, *Leiothlypis crissalis*, is a subtly elegant and highly sought-after New World warbler of arid mountain environments. Measuring about 11-13 cm (4.3-5.1 in) in length with a wingspan of 16-18 cm (6.3-7.1 in) and weighing 8.5-12.5 g (0.3-0.4 oz), it features olive-gray upperparts, paler underparts, and a distinctive bright yellow crissum (undertail coverts) which gives it its specific epithet, *crissalis*. Other key identification marks include a gray head, an often broken w...
Found in high-elevation (1,500-3,000 meters or 5,000-10,000 feet) arid to semi-arid pine-oak woodlands and scrubby montane forests, often preferring canyons and slopes with dense undergrowth.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on small insects, larvae, and other arthropods gleaned from foliage and branches.
Colima Warblers are diurnal and actively forage during daylight hours, typically gleaning insects from the foliage of trees and shrubs, often in the mid-story. Males establish and defend territories with their distinctive, buzzy songs, which are often the first sign of their presence in dense veg...
The breeding range of the Colima Warbler is highly restricted, encompassing the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas, specifically the Chisos Mountains within Big Bend National Park, and extending southward into the mountains of northern Mexico, including parts of Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas...
Least Concern
- The Colima Warbler is one of North America's most restricted breeding birds, found in the U.S. only in the Chisos Mountains of Big Bend National Park, Texas. - Its scientific name, *crissalis*, refers to its bright yellow crissum (undertail coverts), a key identification feature. - The rufous-o...