Northern Parula

Continuing to share my warbler photos along with information about each species, from my latest book: "Warblers of Arizona, A Guide to Finding and Photographing Warblers in Southern Arizona." 

If you are interested in purchasing it, please email me at exclusivelywildlifephotos.com or info@azuregate.com.

Northern Parula

Common Name: Northern Parula

Scientific Name: Setophaga americana

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Conservation Status: Least Concern, stable or slightly increasing population estimated at 13 million

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Size: 4.5 inches

Description: blue back; yellow throat and breast; chestnut breastband; white eye arcs; yellow bill; two white wing bars; white belly and tail underparts; short tail with white spots

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Male/Female: males have darker lores and breastband

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Range: Southeastern Canada to Guatamala and the West Indies

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Migration: winters in Northern Central America and the West Indies, summers in the Eastern United States and Southern Canada

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Season for Arizona: rare to Arizona, 5 birds per year

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Habitat: habitat changes by season and location, but primarily a forest dwelling warbler; riparian areas in Arizona at mostly lower elevations; like epiphytic plants that grow on trees such as moss or mistletoe

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Community Behavior: solitary

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Feeding Behavior: gleans insects from tips of branches hopping from branch to branch

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Diet: forages mostly on terrestrial invertebrates including spiders, ants, and caterpillars; sometimes berries

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Nesting Behavior: hollows out a mass of hanging vegetation and creates a side entrance and cup; nests are about 3 inches across and 2 inches deep; nest building takes about 4 days; nests could be as high as 100 feet off the ground; 2-7 white to creamy eggs with red/brown spots; incubation period is 12-14 days; nestling period is 10-11 days

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Where to Find in Southern Arizona: likes hanging vegetation so cottonwoods are idea; Sweetwater Wetlands, Santa Cruz River are two favorite spots for this rare to Arizona Bird

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Comments: was originally called the Blue Yellow-backed Warbler; nesting in moss makes it very unique even among all birds