Golden-winged Warbler
Vermivora chrysoptera
The Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera) is a common new world warbler found in 20 countries, weighing about 9 g. The golden-winged warbler is a small migratory insectivorous bird in the New World warbler family Parulidae.
About the Golden-winged Warbler
The golden-winged warbler is a small migratory insectivorous bird in the New World warbler family Parulidae. It breeds in southeastern and south-central Canada and in the Appalachian Mountains in the northeastern to north-central United States. The majority (~70%) of the global population breeds in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Manitoba. Golden-winged warbler populations are slowly expanding northwards but are generally declining across its range. This is most likely as a result of habitat loss and competition/interbreeding with the very closely related blue-winged warbler, Vermivora cyanoptera, albeit the latter point has been debated. Populations are now restricted to two regions: the Great…
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The golden-winged warbler is a small songbird, typically measuring 11.6 cm (4.6 in) long, weighing 8–10 g (0.28–0.35 oz), and having a wingspan of about 20 cm. The male has a black throat and a black mask bordered in white. Females resemble males but have a light gray throat and mask. Both sexes display a yellow crown, a yellow patch on the wing, and extensive white on the tail, which is conspicuous from below. The grayish white underparts contrast the darker gray back, and the bill is long and slender. Juvenile individuals appear similar to females, regardless of sex.
What the Golden-winged Warbler sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in United Kingdom, Jamaica.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, September, October, December, with peak activity in May. It is a passage migrant species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Golden-winged Warbler?
- The golden-winged warbler is a small songbird, typically measuring 11.6 cm (4.6 in) long, weighing 8–10 g (0.28–0.35 oz), and having a wingspan of about 20 cm. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Golden-winged Warbler?
- The Golden-winged Warbler is a tiny sized bird weighing about 9 g.
- Where can you see a Golden-winged Warbler?
- The Golden-winged Warbler occurs in 20 countries, including the United States, Costa Rica, Canada, Panama and Honduras.
- What does a Golden-winged Warbler sound like?
- You can listen to 3 field recordings of the Golden-winged Warbler on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Golden-winged Warbler?
- The Golden-winged Warbler is most easily confused with the Blue-winged Warbler.
- Is the Golden-winged Warbler endangered?
- The Golden-winged Warbler is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Golden-winged Warbler for real
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