Overview

Bay-breasted Warbler: Medium-sized warbler with dark-streaked gray upperparts and buff underparts with chestnut-brown patches on the chin, throat, breast and flanks. The head has a dark brown crown and black mask. Wings are black with two white bars. It is one of the largest warblers.

Range and Habitat

Bay-breasted Warbler: Breeds from northeastern British Columbia east to Maritime Provinces and south to the northern Great Lakes region and northern New England. Spends winters in the tropics. Preferred habitats include open spruce forests and deciduous woodlands.

Breeding and Nesting

Bay-breasted Warbler: Four to six brown or purple marked, white, green or blue eggs are laid in a loosely built, hair-lined nest made of twigs, grass, and needles set in a conifer as much as 50 feet above the ground. Incubation ranges from 12 to 13 days and is carried out by the female.

Foraging and Feeding

Bay-breasted Warbler: Eats caterpillars, beetles, flies, moths, mayflies, ants, lacewings, and canker worms. Generally gleans prey from mid-level, inner part of conifers, particularly on lichen-covered limbs with little foliage, but readily forages at other heights within the tree and in broad-leaved foliage.

Readily Eats

Sugar Water, Fruit, Nut Pieces

Vocalization

Bay-breasted Warbler: Song is a high, thin "teesi-teesi-teesi-teesi", without change in pitch or volume.

Similar Species

Bay-breasted Warbler: Chestnut-sided Warbler has yellow crown and white throat. In winter, Blackpoll Warbler has yellow legs, white undertail coverts, and more streaks on breast. Pine Warbler lacks black streaks on the back and has yellow on throat and breast.