Mourning Warbler

Geothlypis philadelphia

Least ConcernCommonInvertebratesForestCup nestTiny · 12 g

About the Mourning Warbler

The mourning warbler is a small songbird of the New World warbler family. Mourning warblers are neotropical migrants native to eastern and central North America and wintering in Central and South America. They tend to be found in dense second growth forests. They are very similar to the MacGillivray's warbler in appearance, especially in females and immature birds, but their breeding range does not overlap into the west.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

ID tip

Mourning warblers are small songbird with yellow underparts, olive-green upperparts, a thin pointed bill and pink legs. Adult males have a gray hood, black lores and a black patch on the throat and breast. In the fall, this pattern becomes less bright and harder to distinguish from similar species; however they never have a broken eye ring. Females and immatures are gray-brown on the head with an incomplete eye-ring. They have a yellow-gray throat with a brown or olive tint to their breast. Both sexes can range from 10 to 15 cm (3.9–5.9 in) in length and 11–13 g (0.4–0.5 oz) in weight. Voice: The song of this bird is a bright repetitive warble. The warble consists of rolling phrases that sound that typically lower in volume at the end and can sound like "chirry, chirry, chirry, chorry, chorry." The call is a sharp chip. There are usually two different pitched calls, with one higher than the harsh chip.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

What the Mourning Warbler sounds like

Recording: Jonathon Jongsma · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via xeno-canto
Recording: Jonathon Jongsma · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via xeno-canto

Where it lives

Regular rangeRare visitor

Recorded as a rare visitor in Puerto Rico, Portugal, Curaçao, Aruba, Jamaica.

When to see it

Peak activity in May · a summer visitor species across most of its range

Easily confused with

Side by side: Common Yellowthroat vs Mourning Warbler · MacGillivray's Warbler vs Mourning Warbler · Mourning Warbler vs Worm-eating Warbler · Kentucky Warbler vs Mourning Warbler

Learn the Mourning Warbler for real

BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.

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