Warblers of Southern Arizona: Rufous Capped Warbler

Continuing my series on Warblers of Southern Arizona, in alphabetical order, next up:

Rufous Capped Warbler

Distinctive Identification Marks: Large warbler with sparrow-like shape; very long cocked tail; strong white supercilium; rufous cap and cheeks; bright yellow throat and upper breast; white malar;

Frequency: Rare

Season: Any

Range: Extreme Southeast Arizona in the United States; otherwise Mexico, Central and South America

Habitat:

Lower Tree and Brush

Ground

Nesting:
Nests on sides of steep banks

Feeding Behavior:

Gleaning: perched bird takes prey from branch
Eats mostly insects

General Behavior:

Skulking

Wren-like behavior

Where to Find: Pena Blanca Lake and Pena Blanca Canyon (Pajarito Mountains), Florida Canyon (Santa Rita Mountains), Hunter Canyon (Huachuca Mountains)

Chance of Finding: While this is a rare bird to the United States, it resides year round in the four locations mentioned above. Knowing exactly where to look in those four locations increases the odds to 50%.