Cape May Warbler

(Setophaga tigrina)

Conservation Status
Cape May Warbler
Photo by Ramona Abrego
  IUCN Red List

LC - Least Concern

     
  NatureServe

N5B - Secure Breeding

SNRB - Unranked Breeding

     
  Minnesota

not listed

Species in Greatest Conservation Need

     
           
           
           
 
Description
 
 

Cape May Warbler is a small perching bird but a medium-sized New World Warbler. Its breeds in Canada from Nova Scotia to the Northwest Territories, and in the United States in northern New England and the Upper Midwest. It winters in the West Indies. In Minnesota it breeds in Arrowhead region. It is an uncommon migrant in most of the state in May and from early August through October. It is rare in the west.

Cape May Warbler adult is 4¾ to 5 in length and has a wingspan of 7½to 8¾. On the breeding male, the upper parts are dark olive green, the chin, sides of the neck (“collar”), and rump are yellow. The crown is dark and the face is yellow. There is a large chestnut-brown ear patch and a dark eye line. The bill is thin, dark, and slightly curved downward. The breast and flanks are yellow with dark stripes that converge on the throat. The undertail coverts are white. On each wing there is a distinct white patch formed by the greater coverts. The tail is short.

The female is paler overall and has two thin white wing patches. The crown is olive-gray and there is a grayish cheek patch.

 
     
 

Size

 
 

4¾ to 5 in length

7½to 8¾ wingspan

 
     
 

Voice

 
   
     
 

Similar Species

 
     
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Breeding: Mature coniferous and mixed forests

Migration: Forests, woodlands, and thickets

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Migration

 
 

May and early August through October

 
     
 

Nesting

 
 

The nest is built in a mature forest near the top of a tall spruce or balsam fir tree usually near the trunk.

 
     
 

Food

 
 

Insects, especially spruce budworm; flower nectar; and fruit juices

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Occurrence

 
 

Uncommon migrant, sporadic breeder

 
         
 

Maps

 
 

The Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union All Seasons Species Occurrence Map

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Class Aves (birds)  
 

Order

Passeriformes (perching birds)  
 

Family

Parulidae (New World warblers, wood warblers)  
 

Genus

Setophaga (redstarts)  
       
 

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.

Cape May Warbler, formerly Dendroica tigrina, is now Setophaga tigrina.

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

Dendroica tigrina

 
       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
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Ramona Abrego

 
    Cape May Warbler   Cape May Warbler  
           
    Cape May Warbler      
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

 

 
           
           

 

Camera

     
 
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Cape May Warbler
JMC Nature Photos
  Cape May Warbler  
     

 

slideshow

       
 
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Other Videos
 
  Setophaga tigrina CAPE MAY WARBLER feeding
Rob Curtis
 
   
 
About

Oct 11, 2019

Setophaga tigrina CAPE MAY WARBLER feeding on scale insects, trying for flying insects, scared by wasp, Montrose Point, Chicago, 9/23/2019.

   
  Cape May Warbler (Setophaga/Dendroica tigrina)
Carl Barrentine
 
   
 
About

May 20, 2013

This migrant male Cape May Warbler (Setophaga/Dendroica tigrina) takes a brief respite from foraging to dry and vigorously preen on too cold, too wet mid-May day in Grand Forks, North Dakota (20 May 2013).

   
       

 

Camcorder

 
 
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  Ramona Abrego

Location: Washington County

Cape May Warbler  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
 

 

 

 

 

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Created: 7/11/2020

Last Updated:

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