Golden-Winged Warbler
Vermivora chrysoptera
About This Species
A small woodland warbler of eastern North America, found in early successional and shrubby habitats with scattered trees, where males sing a distinctive buzzy, insect-like song from low perches in spring. It forages by gleaning insects from leaves and twigs, often low in vegetation, and is most readily found during the breeding season by listening for its song at dawn. Migration periods also offer chances to see it moving through mixed woodland edges and thickets.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Because this species is classed as Near Threatened, extra care is warranted: keep well back from any singing male or suspected nest site, watch briefly and move on rather than lingering, and never use recorded calls to draw a bird in during the breeding season.
- It is protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act in the United States and equivalent legislation in Canada, which prohibit disturbing, capturing or harming the species or its nests.
- Given ongoing population declines linked to habitat loss and hybridisation pressures, minimising any additional stress from observers is especially important for this species.
NTAvesPasseriformesParulidae
Seasonal Activity
237,836 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Parulidae
Photo
Wikimedia Commons / Wikimedia Commons
CC-BY-SA-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.