The golden-winged warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera) is a species of warbler found in the New World. The Golden-winged Warbler, a critically endangered Neotropical migratory, is a little but magnificent songbird that breeds in eastern North America. This warbler nests in habitats with dense herbaceous cover and patches of shrubs, frequently near to a forest edge, and typically at intermediate elevations in the Appalachian region.
Quick Overview: Vermivora Chrysoptera – Golden-Winged Warbler
Body size: Around 4.75-5 in (12-13 cm) and a weight of 9 g (0.3 oz)
Main colors: Gray, White, Black, Yellow
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
Golden-Winged Warbler Description
The warbler is a small species with gray upper parts and white underparts. The face is white with a black mask and throat, while the head is yellow with a yellow crown. Gray with huge yellow markings on the wings.
Size
These birds have a length of 4.75-5 in (12-13 cm) and a weight of 9 g (0.3 oz). Their wings could range from 7.75-8.25 in (20-21 cm).
Feeding
Primarily insects. Although its diet is unknown in detail, it is known to feed on a variety of caterpillars and adult moths, particularly Tortricid moths, as well as various insects and spiders.
Habitat
The golden-winged warbler is a migratory species that breeds in eastern North America and winters in southern Central America and nearby Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador. Golden-winged warblers breed in open scrubby regions, marshes, and nearby mature forests.
Behavior
Males engage in territorial confrontations that involve a variety of displays and behaviors. This includes lifting the crown, spreading the tail, pursuing, and fighting. Males of different species do not share territory. Males exhibit defensive territorial displays only in response to another male mating, another male attempting to use a taken territory, or a male attempting to mate with an already taken female. Males within their species have overlapping areas but avoid one another.
Vermivora Chrysoptera Scientific Classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Aves
- Order: Passeriformes
- Family: Parulidae
- Genus: Vermivora
- Species: Vermivora chrysoptera
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 Golden-Winged Warbler in the USA
Breeds in southern Manitoba, along the Great Lakes region, and south to New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Iowa, as well as along the Appalachian Mountains into Georgia. Winters in a range of locations from southern Mexico to northern South America.
The Golden-Winged Warbler can be found in the following states in the United States – Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.