Geothlypis philadelphia
The Mourning Warbler, a vibrant and often elusive member of the New World warbler family (Parulidae), measures approximately 12.5-14 cm (5-5.5 inches) in length and weighs between 10-15 grams. Males in breeding plumage are striking, featuring a distinct slate-gray hood that extends to the upper breast, contrasting with a black bib and lores, and a crisp, broken white eye-arc. Their back and wings are olive-green, while the underparts are bright yellow, lacking any wing bars. Females and first...
This species primarily inhabits dense, early-successional deciduous or mixed woodlands, often preferring regenerating clear-cuts, forest edges, and shrubby thickets with abundant undergrowth at low to mid-elevations.
The Mourning Warbler's diet consists almost exclusively of insects and spiders, which it gleans meticulously from the foliage and branches of dense shrubs and trees.
Mourning Warblers are active diurnal foragers, spending much of their time skulking within dense undergrowth, which makes them notoriously difficult to observe. They primarily glean insects from foliage and small branches, occasionally making short aerial sallies to catch flying prey. Males are h...
The Mourning Warbler's breeding range spans a vast area of south-central and southeastern Canada, extending from British Columbia east through the boreal forests to Newfoundland. In the United States, it breeds primarily in the Great Lakes region, parts of New England, and the northern Appalachia...
Least Concern
- The 'Mourning' in its name refers to the male's dark, hood-like head plumage, which was thought to resemble a widow's mourning hood, not its song. - This warbler is famously difficult to spot; it spends much of its time skulking in dense undergrowth, making its loud, rolling song a primary iden...