northern parula (Parula americana)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONFIRMATION STATUS: Confirmed.

 

IDENTIFICATION:

• Length: 3.75 inches

• Small, active, insect-eating bird

• Thin, pointed bill

• smaller than most warblers

• Gray head, sides of breast, rump and tail

• White broken eye ring

• White wing bars

• Yellow throat and breast

• White belly and undertail coverts

• Olive back

• Yellow legs

Adult male:

• Black and orange patch across breast

• Black lores and eyeline

Female and immature:

• Lacks breast patch of male

• Lacks black in face of male

• White supercilium

• Plumage duller than male

Similar species:

The northern parula is rather small, even for a warbler. The male
northern parula is distinctive with its breast patch. No other warbler
has this feature. Females have a yellow throat and breast, wing bars,
small size, and broken eye ring to identify them. Yellowthroats and
mourning warblers are most similar in face and underpart pattern
but lack wing bars. The very local (south Texas) tropical parula is
similar in size but the male lacks the dark portion of the breast patch
and has more black on the face while the other plumages lack the
broken eye ring and have more yellow on the underparts.

 

LIFE HISTORY

Migration Status: Neotropical migrant
Breeding Habitat: Woodland
Nest Location: Mid-story/canopy nesting
Nest Type: Open-cup
Clutch Size: 3-7
Length of Incubation: 12-14 days
Days to Fledge: ?
Number of Broods: ?
Diet: Primarily insects

 

SKY MEADOWS DISTRIBUTION/SEASONAL OCCURRENCE

 

Relative abundance and seasonal occurrence are indicated in red below.

 

Relative abundance
     C - Common: Likely to be present in good numbers in appropriate habitat and season.
     U - Uncommon: May be present in appropriate habitat and season, often in low
            numbers.
     O - Occassional: Found in appropriate habitat perhaps only a few times per season,
            sometimes low numbers.
     R - Rare: May not be recorded every year.
     Acc - Accidental: Recorded once or twice, may not be expected again for a long time.

 

Seasonal Occurrence
      Sp - Spring: March, April, May O
      Su - Summer: June, July, August
      Fall: September, October, November O

      Winter: December, January, February

 

 

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