Blackburnian Warbler
Setophaga fusca
About This Species
This warbler favours the high canopy of mature coniferous and mixed forest, so scan treetops rather than lower branches, and listen for its thin, high-pitched song. It is most conspicuous during spring migration and the breeding season when males sing persistently from exposed perches near the crown. Early morning light and calm weather make the vivid orange throat of the male easier to pick out against dark foliage.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Because this species forages high in the canopy, viewing from the ground with binoculars keeps a respectful distance without any need to approach closely.
- Migratory songbirds and their nests are protected under law across their breeding and wintering range, so avoid playback or repeated calling to draw the bird in, and never approach a suspected nest site.
- Brief, quiet observation from a trail is sufficient and causes no disturbance.
LCAvesPasseriformesParulidae
Seasonal Activity
1,170,543 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.