Orange Crowned Warbler

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.

Orange Crowned Warbler

Common Name: Orange Crowned Warbler

Scientific Name: Oreothlypis celata

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Conservation Status: Least Concern, though declined by 34% in last 50 years worldwide, as much as 64% in the United States; still abundant with numbers estimated at 80 million

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Size: 5.5 inches

Description: relatively drab olive color with low contrasting back and breast/belly; variable yellow streaking on belly and flanks; no white bars; faint black stripe through eye; pale yellowish superilium; split eyering

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Male/Female: identifcal

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Range: Alaska and Northern Canada to Guatamala

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Migration: summers in Western United States and throughout Canada, winters in Mexico

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Season for Arizona: year round though lower elevations during winter months

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Habitat: willows and other deciduous brush, riparian habitat, from low elevation to 10,000 feet

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Community Behavior: solitary or mixed warbler flocks or with juncos, chickadees, kinglets, and vireos; males raise their crown feathers to flash their "orange crown" when threatened by other Orange Crowned Warblers; yet they will tolerate other species that prefer similar habitat like Song Sparrows, Wilson's and MacGillivrays Warblers

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Feeding Behavior: flit rapidly through dense vegetation gleaning insects from leaves; sometimes will sally to catch a fly in mid-air

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Diet: ants, beetles, spiders, flies, caterpillars; also fruit, berries, and seeds; will also take nectar from flowers; occasionally backyard suet and nectar feeders

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Nesting Behavior: open cup nest near or on ground 4 inches across and 2.5 inches high; 3-6 white to cream eggs with reddish brown speckles

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Where to Find in Southern Arizona: from riparian areas like Sweetwater, San Pedro River, Sabino Creek, and Santa Cruz River to mountain canyons like Madera, Huachuca, Miller, Rose etc.

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Comments: Orange Crowned and Yellow-Rumped are the most abundant and easiest to find warblers during the winter months here in Arizona; there are four subspecies that differ in plumage color, size, and molt patterns; the Alaskan subspecies is the dullest and the Pacific Coast the brightest