Setophaga tigrina (Cape May warbler) is a New World warbler species. It is found in northern North America, where it breeds. Its breeding range includes all of southern Canada, the Great Lakes region, and New England, with the exception of the westernmost sections of southern Canada, the Great Lakes region, and New England. It is a migratory bird that spends the winter in the West Indies.
Quick Overview: Setophaga Tigrina – Cape May Warbler
Body size: Around 4.75 in (12 cm) and a weight of 11 g (0.4 oz)
Main colors: Olive-Yellow, Black, Yellow, Chestnut-Brown, White
Range: Eastern United States
Migratory Bird: Yes
Best time of the year to see in the U.S.: March, April, May, September, October, November
Conservation Status: Least Concern
Cape May Warbler Description
The upper parts of this little warbler are olive-yellow, with broad black streaks on the yellow underparts. Black crown, bright yellow face, chestnut-brown ear patch The wings have huge white spots on them and are dark in color.
Size
These birds have a length of 4.75 in (12 cm) and a weight of 11 g (0.4 oz). Their wings could range from 7 in (18 cm).
Feeding
Insects, particularly spruce budworms, are the main menu items for the Cape May Warblers that we encounter here in the Adirondacks. During the breeding season, the Cape May eats parasitic wasps and flies, ants, bees, tiny moths, beetles, and spiders, among other things.
Habitat
Open spruce woods are preferred habitats, but they can also be found in evergreen or deciduous woodlands, parks, and residential yards during migration.
Behavior
It mostly forages in the canopy, consuming a variety of small insects, berries, seeds, tree sap, nectar, and pollen, as well as berries, seeds, tree sap, nectar, and pollen. Nectar, pollen, and tree sap are key food sources during the spring migration, but insect larvae are the predominant food source during the breeding season.
Setophaga Tigrina Scientific Classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Aves
- Order: Passeriformes
- Family: Parulidae
- Genus: Setophaga
- Species: Setophaga tigrina
Best time of the year to see
BEST TIME OF THE YEAR TO SEE In the United States, the best time of year to see these birds are during the Spring season (March-May) and during the Autumn season (September – November).
Distribution of the Cape May Warbler in the USA
Breeds from the southwestern Northwest Territories south to North Dakota, Michigan, northern New York, Maine, and Nova Scotia. Winters in the West Indies and southern Florida.
The Cape May Warbler can be found in the following states in the United States – Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
