Townsend's Warbler -- Dendroica townsendi -- South Dakota Birds
| Townsend's Warbler | Length: 5 inches | Wingspan: 8 inches | Seasonality: Migrant |
| ID Keys: Dark cheek with bright yellow surrounding it, dark crown, black chin and throat, yellow breast, 2 white wing-bars | |||
Townsend's Warblers are primarily birds of the cool coniferous
forests of the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada, but can occasionally be
found as migrants in the Black Hills of South Dakota. They are quite
similar to the Black-throated Green
Warbler, a warbler found in the eastern part of the continent.
Habitat: Breeds in tall coniferous forests of the Pacific Northwest and western Canada. Also primarily found in conifer forests during migration, but also in trees in riparian areas.
Diet: Primarily feeds on insects and spiders. They will also occasionally feed on seeds, berries, and nectar, especially during the winter.
Behavior: Often found in mixed flocks of warblers and other small birds, except during the summer breeding season. Usually forages in the mid- to upper-levels of trees, and will also occasionally fly from branches to snag passing flying insects.
Breeding: Non-breeder in South Dakota.
Song: To listen to this bird, click here to go to the "E-nature.com" site for the Townsend's Warbler, and click on "listen to this species".
Migrations: Neotropical migrant. Summers along in forests of the Pacific Northwest, western Canada, and southern Alaska. Primarily winters in Mexico and Central America, but some can be found near the U.S. Pacific coast.
Similar Species: Black-throated Green Warbler, Hermit Warbler
Feeders: Will attend feeders for mixtures of cheese, peanut butter, and marshmallows.
Status: They are possibly vulnerable to the effects of forest fragmentation, but numbers and range might be increasing slightly in recent decades.
Further Information: 1) USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter, Townsend's Warbler
2)
Cornell Lab of Ornithology - Townsend's Warbler
3) eNature.com: Townsend's Warbler
Photo Information: June 25th, 2006 -- Near Seward, Alaska -- Terry Sohl
Additional Photos: Click here for additional higher-resolution photos of this species.
Proud Member Of:
Please mail any comments/suggestions/additional links for this page to: Terry L. Sohl
This page was last edited on 02/03/08