Minnesota Seasons - Blackburnian Warbler

Conservation • Description • Habitat • Ecology • Distribution • Taxonomy

Conservation Status

Photo by Dan W. Andree

IUCN Red List

LC - Least Concern

NatureServe

N5 - Secure

SNRB - Unranked Breeding

Minnesota

not listed

Description

The upper breast and throat are bright orange on the male, yellowish-orange on the female. The sides of the neck, arc below the eye, line above the eye, and stripe on the forecrown are yellowish-orange on the male, orangish-yellow on the female. The line above the eye and that on the side of the neck form a solid angular patch. The head, facepatch, and back are black on the male, brown on the female. The wings are black with a large white patch on the male, brown with two white wingbars on the female. The belly and undertail coverts are white or yellowish. The flanks and sides are streaked.

Size

Total length: 5″ to 5½″

Wingspan: 8″ to 8¾″

Voice

The song is brief and in two parts: a slow opening series of high, clear couplets followed by a ultra-high-pitched trilling, and ending in an extremely high-pitched tone, tsi tsi tsi tsi tsi ti ti ti ti ti seeeeee. The last note is the highest of any commonly heard North American Warbler, and it is often inaudible to older listeners.

Similar Species

Habitat

Breeding: Mature coniferous and mixed forests with tall trees

Migration: Forests, woodlands, scrubs, and thickets; especially areas with dense, tall, second growth, like state and county parks.

Ecology

Migration

Early May to early June and mid-August to late September.

Nesting

The nest is built high in a tall conifer

Food

Distribution

Occurrence

Fairly common but local in Northeastern Minnesota

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), Blackburnian Warbler has an “ extremely large range.” The population size is “extremely large” and appears to be increasing. In Minnesota, it is fairly common in the northeastern and north central counties. During migration, it is found throughout the state.

Maps

The Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union All Seasons Species Occurrence Map

Taxonomy

Class

Aves (birds)

Order

Passeriformes (perching birds)

Family

Parulidae (New World warblers)

Genus

Setophaga

Genus
In 2011 all of the wood warblers were reclassified resulting in new genus names for almost all of them. The genus Dendroica, with 29 members, was merged with the genus Setophaga, with just 3 members. All of the former Dendroica species have been renamed to Setophaga. Blackburnian Warbler, formerly Dendroica fusca, is now Setophaga fusca.