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Warblers, with their brilliantly colored feathers, are the tiny jewels of Ohio's bird families. They are very active - constantly flittering around. Most are yellow with black-and-white markings. Their plumage varies considerably from spring to fall, juvenile to adult, and male to female. The tail is square, often with white markings. Warblers feed almost entirely on insects gleaned from leaves and twigs with their slender bills. Members of this family abound in any Ohio woodland or brushy area during the spring and fall migration seasons. In spring their buzzlike songs (not warbling) fill the air with a delightful chorus.
Listen
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Common Yellowthroat
Geothlypis trichas
At-a-Glance
• Peak Breeding Activity: April-July
• Incubation: 12 days
• Clutch Size: 3-5 eggs
• Young Fledge: 10 days after hatching
• Typical Foods: insects and seeds
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Description
Yellowthroats are olive-brown in color with yellow on the throat and upper breast. The male has a bold black mask, bordered above with white. The females and young males lack the face mask.
Habitat and Habits
The common yellowthroat can be found in all manners of wetlands and occasionally in drier brushy fields. Yellowthroats are one of the most common warblers breeding in the state, and their loud wichity wichity wichity song is commonly heard in all tyes of wetlands. They normally lurk in dense vegetation and are hard to see, but making squeaking or pishing sounds often lures them briefly into view. This is a hardy warbler, and occasionally will attempt to overwinter in marshes. They may be best detected by listening for their loud tchek call note, often given in response to pishing.
Reproduction and Care of the Young
The nest is cup-shaped and bulky. It is made from dead leaves, coarse grass, and rootlets. It is usually located in a shrub near the ground. While only the female incubates the eggs, both the male and female tend to the young. |
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