A New World warbler is the hooded warbler (Setophaga citrina). According to recent genomic study, Wilsonia and Setophaga type species are closely related and should be united into the same genus. Because Setophaga takes precedence over Wilsonia, the hooded warbler would be renamed Setophaga citrina.
Quick Overview: Setophaga Citrina – Hooded Warbler
Body size: Around 4.5-5.5 in (11-14 cm) and a weight of 9 g ( 0.3 oz)
Main colors: Black, Orange-red, White, Gray, Gray-Olive, Yellow
Range: Eastern United States
Migratory Bird: Yes
Best time of the year to see in the U.S.: June, July, August, September
Conservation Status: Least Concern
Hooded Warbler Description
Black upperparts and hood, orange-red patches on wings, sides, and long fanned tail, and white underparts characterize this busy warbler. Black is the color of the bill, legs, and feet. The female has a gray head and gray-olive upper parts, as well as white underparts and yellow on the flanks and tail.
Size
These birds have a length of 4.5-5.5 in (11-14 cm) and a weight of 9 g (0.3 oz). Their wings could range from 8 in (20 cm).
Feeding
These birds eat insects that they find in low vegetation or that they catch through flycatching. Broadleaved forests with extensive undergrowth are ideal breeding habitats for hooded warblers.
Habitat
Hooded warblers breed in a wide range of forest types, all of which have a mature canopy and a dense understory of tiny trees and shrubs.
Behavior
Overwintering individuals are very territorial and segregate by sex, with males preferring mature forest and females preferring scrub, secondary forest, and disturbed habitats—the first known example of such habitat segregation.
Setophaga Citrina Scientific Classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Aves
- Order: Passeriformes
- Family: Parulidae
- Genus: Setophaga
- Species: Setophaga citrina
Best time of the year to see
The best time to see these birds in the United States is during the summer season (June – September).
Distribution of the Hooded Warbler in the USA
From Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, and southern New England south to the Gulf coast and northern Florida, this species breeds. Winters in the tropics, ranging from southern Mexico to the West Indies and further south.
The Hooded Warbler can be found in the following states in the United States – Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Colorado, South CarolinaLouisiana,Oklahoma, and Wyoming.