Blackburnian Warbler

Blackburnian Warbler [Internet Photo]

The Blackburnian Warbler (Dendroica fusca) may be our most beautiful bird. The male in breeding plumage is breath-takingly beautiful. The mix of oranges, yellow, white, gray and black are masterfully arranged. It is unmistakable with its flaming-orange throat. The female is much drabber and can be distinguished from other warblers by her dark cheek patch which is surrounded by yellow. She also has a yellow incomplete eyering and pale stripes on the back. The juvenile is similar to the female.


There aren’t many warbler species one would mistake for the Blackburnian. The immature female Cerulean Warbler is similar but almost never found in New Brunswick. In the fall it may be confused with the Bay-breasted and the Blackpoll Warblers but they do not have the stripes on the back and they do show a supercilium (line over the eye).

Blackburnian Warbler [Internet Photo] 

We are lucky to be part of the Blackburnian Warbler breeding range. They spend their summers throughout eastern Canada from the central areas of Saskatchewan and Manitoba eastward to the Maritime Provinces. In the fall they take an easterly route through the eastern part of the US to their wintering grounds in mountainous forested areas of the northern Andes, the Amazon and northern South America. In the spring they return by a more westerly route up the central flyway. Their preferred habitats are mixed forests of hemlock, spruce and hardwoods. They are very useful birds in keeping our forests healthy. They eat caterpillars and beetles and other insects.


Blackburnian Warblers nest high (up to 30 m/85 ft) in a conifer tree, usually building their nest way out on the branch. The nest is made of twigs and lined with lichens, moss and hair. The 4 to 7 brown spotted white or pale green eggs are incubated for 11 to 12 days by the female.


The song of this species is very high-pitched and not able to be heard by some people. It is an ascending series on notes ending with a trill. It can be described as 'see see see see ti ti ti siii’.

Blackburnian Warbler [Internet Photo] 

The Blackburnian Warbler among other species is very important in controlling insect damage to our forests, e.g., the Spruce budworm outbreak. This small species is an important part of the forest ecosystem.

The Blackburnian Warbler was named after an English botanist, Anna Blackburne. It is unusual for a species to named after a woman. Also interesting about this species is the advantage it has because it builds its nest and often feeds very high up in the forest canopy. This protects the nest from parasitism by the Cowbird which lays its eggs in other species nests. The lofty habitat also gives it access to more insects which birds which feed lower do not get. 

 
Hemlocks are the favourite tree species for feeding and nesting for this species. Our hemlocks are large and healthy so the Blackburnian Warblers are doing well here.