Overview

Cape May Warbler: Small warbler, olive-yellow upperparts, thick, black streaks on yellow underparts. Bright yellow face, chestnut-brown ear patch, black crown. Wings are dark with large white patches. First collected in Cape May, New Jersey in 1811 and not seen again in that area for over 100 years.

Range and Habitat

Cape May Warbler: Breeds from southern Mackenzie, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec south to North Dakota, Michigan, northern New York, Maine, and Nova Scotia. Spends winters in southern Florida and the West Indies. Preferred habitats include open spruce forests, but during migration also found in evergreen or deciduous woodlands, and often parks or suburban yards.

Breeding and Nesting

Cape May Warbler: Six to nine gray or brown spotted, creamy white eggs are laid in a bulky, compact, twig-and-moss nest lined with grass, fur, and feathers. Incubation ranges from 11 to 13 days and is carried out by the female.

Foraging and Feeding

Cape May Warbler: Diet consists mostly of caterpillars, spruce budworms, ants, flies, small bees, spiders, and crickets; also drinks juices of grapes by poking a hole in the grape with bills. Sometimes catches insects on the wing.

Readily Eats

Bread Products, Sugar Water, Fruit, Nut Pieces

Vocalization

Cape May Warbler: Song is four or more high thin notes without change in pitch or volume, "seet-seet-seet-seet."

Similar Species

Cape May Warbler: Yellow-rumped Warbler has more blurry streaks on breast, brighter yellow rump, and thicker bill. Palm Warbler has yellow undertail coverts and consistently wags tail.