Bird Guide

American Yellow Warbler vs Kirtland's Warbler

American Yellow Warbler (Setophaga aestiva)

American Yellow Warbler

Setophaga aestiva

Tiny16 g

Other than in male breeding plumage and body size, all warbler subspecies are very similar. Winter, female and immature birds all have similarly greenish-yellow uppersides and are a duller yellow below. Young males soon acquire breast and, where appropriate, head coloration. Females are somewhat duller, most notably on the head. In all, the remiges and rectrices are blackish olive with yellow edges, sometimes appearing as an indistinct wing-band on the former. The eyes and the short thin beak are dark, while the feet are lighter or darker olive-buff. The 35 subspecies of S. Voice: The song is a musical strophe that can be rendered sweet sweet sweet, I'm so sweet, although it varies considerably between populations. The call is a soft or harder chip or ship. This is particularly frequently given by females after a male has finished his song. In territorial defense, they give hissing calls, while seet seems to be a kind of specialized cowbird alert (see below).

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the American Yellow Warbler
Recorded by Doug Hynes · Song · Owls Head, Nova Scotia, Canada · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Kathlin Simpkins · CC0
Kirtland's Warbler (Setophaga kirtlandii)

Kirtland's Warbler

Setophaga kirtlandii

Tiny14 gForest

Male Kirtland's warblers have bluish-grey upper body parts, with dark streaks on the back, yellow bellies, and dark streaks on the flanks and sides. It has black lores (cheeks) and a distinctive, large and conspicuous broken white eye ring, which it only shares with Setophaga coronata. Females and juveniles are similar, but are browner on the wings and back and are not as boldly or brightly marked. It frequently bobs its tail up and down, which is uncommon in northern warblers. At 14–15 cm (5.5–5.9 in) and 12.3–16 g (0.43–0.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Kirtland's Warbler
Recorded by Justin Watts · Song · Rome (appox location), Adams County, Wisconsin, United States · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Kalvin Chan · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: American Yellow Warbler and Kirtland's Warbler.