Overview

Wilson's Warbler: Small warbler with olive-green upperparts, bright yellow face and underparts, distinct black cap. It has a long, olive-brown tail which it moves up and down, or in a circular fashion, as it searches for food. It is more common in the West than in the East. Legs and feet are pink.

Range and Habitat

Wilson's Warbler: Breeds from Alaska eastward to Newfoundland and south to southern California, New Mexico, central Ontario, and Nova Scotia. Spends winters in the tropics. Preferred habitats include moist thickets in woodlands and along streams as well as alder, willow thickets, and bogs.

Breeding and Nesting

Wilson's Warbler: Four to seven brown flecked, white to creamy white eggs are laid in a bulky nest made of leaves, rootlets, and moss, lined with hair and fine plant materials, and concealed on the ground in a dense clump of weeds or sedges. Incubation ranges from 10 to 13 days and is carried out by the female.

Foraging and Feeding

Wilson's Warbler: Eats mainly insects (especially leafhoppers) and spiders, but occasionally consumes berries.

Readily Eats

Sugar Water, Fruit, Nut Pieces

Vocalization

Wilson's Warbler: Song is a rapid, staccato series of chips, which drop in pitch at the end.

Similar Species

Wilson's Warbler: Hooded Warbler has white spots on tail, a longer bill, dark lores, male has a black hood, and female has black or olive crown and sides of neck. Yellow Warbler has a shorter tail, female and juvenile show yellow edging to wings and wing coverts, and yellow spots in tail.