Tropical Parula
Setophaga pitiayumi
The Tropical Parula (Setophaga pitiayumi) is a common new world warbler found in 21 countries, weighing about 7 g. The tropical parula is a small New World warbler.
About the Tropical Parula
The tropical parula is a small New World warbler. It breeds from southernmost Texas and northwest Mexico (Sonora) south through Central America to northern Argentina, including Trinidad and Tobago. This widespread and common species is not considered threatened by the IUCN.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The tropical parula is about 11 cm (4.3 in) long and weighs 6.5 to 8.0 g (0.23 to 0.28 oz). Adult males of subspecies S. p. nigrilora have a mostly blue-gray head with black lores and a small black mask. Their upperparts are also mostly blue-gray with an olive mantle. Their wings are blue-gray with white tips on the greater and median coverts that show as two wing bars. Their tail is blue-gray with large white spots near the ends of the feathers. Their throat and underparts to the belly are yellow with a strong orange wash on the lower throat, upper breast, and flanks. Voice: Male tropical parulas sing; apparently females do not. In the northern subspecies they have two general song types, a "repeated series of relatively simple syllables, increasing in tempo and pitch, forming rising trill that usually ends with buzzy downslur" and "several simple and complex syllables arranged according to no readily discernible syntax".
What the Tropical Parula sounds like
Where it lives
When to see it
The Tropical Parula can be seen all year round, with peak activity in October. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Tropical Parula?
- The tropical parula is about 11 cm (4.3 in) long and weighs 6.5 to 8.0 g (0.23 to 0.28 oz). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Tropical Parula?
- The Tropical Parula is a tiny sized bird weighing about 7 g.
- Where can you see a Tropical Parula?
- The Tropical Parula occurs in 21 countries, including Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador and Costa Rica.
- What does a Tropical Parula sound like?
- You can listen to 3 field recordings of the Tropical Parula on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Tropical Parula?
- The Tropical Parula is most easily confused with the Black-throated Grey Warbler, the Cerulean Warbler and the Hermit Warbler.
Learn the Tropical Parula 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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