Canada Warbler

Canada Warbler - Not Our National Bird

Canada Warbler  [M Morse Photo]

The Canada Warbler is not our national bird.  In fact, we do not have a national bird but there is a movement to select one.  The Canada Warbler is a rarely-seen, small  bird of the deep forest.  Most people do not even know it exists.  So, let's look at it and become more familiar with this species.

The Canada Warbler (Wilsonia canadensis) is an uncommon, small warbler (13 cm/5.3" long).  It usually inhabits dense thickets in mixed woods along streams or over wet areas.  It is gray on the upper side and yellow below, sporting a black or gray necklace.  It has a white eyeing and yellow supralores (area in front of the eye).  It often cocks its long thin tail.  Its white undertail coverts separate it from the Kentucky Warbler with which it sometimes is confused.  The necklace is a faded gray in the female and immature bird.

This species breeds in Canada east of the Rockies and south into the US to Massachusetts.  It breeds throughout New Brunswick but has shown some decline in population numbers since 1970.  It winters in the tropical areas of South American.  The overall decline in numbers for this species is thought to be because of loss of habitat.  

Canada Warbler  [Internet Photo]

The Canada Warbler nests in thick underbrush such as alder thickets.  It builds its nest of dried leaves and grass on or near the ground usually at the base of a stump or in a heavy clump of vegetation.  Three to five white or buff eggs are laid and incubated for 12 days by the female.  The diet is primarily flying insects but it also eats hairless caterpillars and spiders.  Its song is a long mixture of jumbled notes, often beginning with a 'chip'.  

The Canada Warbler is sometimes called the 'necklace warbler' for obvious reasons.  I like its official name better, for obvious reasons.  This little sprite of a bird has actually made it to Europe on at least two occasions, once to Iceland and once to Ireland.  It must be a hardy little bird!