Setophaga Occidentalis – Hermit Warbler

Setophaga Occidentalis - Hermit Warbler found in the US

Setophaga occidentalis, the hermit warbler, is a small perching bird. It is a New World warbler species. Hermit warblers are a widespread but extremely secretive species of bird found in open coniferous forests.

Quick Overview: Setophaga Occidentalis – Hermit Warbler
Body size: Around 5 in (13 cm) and a weight of 9 g (0.3 oz)
Main colors: Gray, White, Black, Yellow
Range: Southern United States
Migratory Bird: Yes
Best time of the year to see in the U.S.: June, July, August, September
Conservation Status: Least Concern

Hermit Warbler Description

Gray upper parts, white underparts, and black-streaked flanks characterize this little warbler. Yellowhead with a black throat and nape. Gray wings with two white bands. Black is the color of the bill, legs, and feet.

Setophaga Occidentalis - Hermit Warbler found in the US
Setophaga Occidentalis – Hermit Warbler. Photo by: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters

Size

These birds have a length of 5 in (13 cm) and a weight of 9 g (0.3 oz). Their wings could range from 7.75 in (20 cm).

Feeding

As with the majority of warblers, the hermit warbler subsists solely on insects and spiders and is frequently seen probing for food upside-down from the tips of fir branches, similar to a chickadee.

Habitat

The Hermit Warbler breeds in coniferous forests of southern Washington, Oregon, and central and northern California’s Coast, Cascade, and Sierra Nevada Mountain ranges. Typically, it saddles its nest on limbs much above ground and conceals it with branches.

Behavior

The species is so named because it appears to be solitary and secretive, feeding primarily in the interior and canopy of thick coniferous forests. The Hermit Warbler breeds in coniferous forests of southern Washington, Oregon, and central and northern California’s Coast, Cascade, and Sierra Nevada Mountain ranges.

Setophaga Occidentalis Scientific Classification

  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Chordata
  • Class: Aves
  • Order: Passeriformes
  • Family: Parulidae
  • Genus: Setphaga
  • Species: Setophaga occidentalis

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 Hermit Warbler in the USA

Breeding occurs along the Pacific Coast from Washington to northern California, as well as in the Sierra Nevada. They spend the winters around the southern California coast and in central and southern Mexico, south of the US-Mexico border.

The Hermit Warbler can be found in the following states in the United States – Arizona, Oregon, Nevada, New Mexico, and Texas.

Setophaga Occidentalis – Hermit Warbler

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