Chestnut-sided Warbler Photos

Photography by Terry Sohl

My Favorite: Chestnut-sided Warblers have such an unusual plumage, they really seem to stand out to me. They don't hit you over the head with an explosion of color like some male warblers, but the unique pattern and little splashes of color make them a really beautiful bird. They're a species I typically see a few of every spring in migration. "Seeing a few" every year for a warbler typically means you don't have many photos, given how difficult it can be to shoot warblers! But Chestnut-sided Warblers often forage lower in the forest canopy than others, and I often see them scrounging through low sumac bushes as well. My "favorite" photo is probably the one below, from Beaver Creek Nature Area in May of 2011.

Chestnut-sided Warbler - Setophaga pensylvanica


Chestnut-sided Warbler 1	Chestnut-sided Warbler 2	Chestnut-sided Warbler 3	Chestnut-sided Warbler 4
May 22nd, 2008	May 22nd, 2008	May 22nd, 2008	May 22nd, 2008
Elmwood Park in Sioux Falls, South Dakota	Elmwood Park in Sioux Falls, South Dakota	Elmwood Park in Sioux Falls, South Dakota	Elmwood Park in Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Spring plumage male profile on tree branch	Spring plumage male profile on tree branch	Spring plumage male profile on tree branch	Male hanging out on tree branch

Chestnut-sided Warbler 5	Chestnut-sided Warbler 6	Chestnut-sided Warbler 7	Chestnut-sided Warbler 8
May 22nd, 2008	May 22nd, 2011	May 22nd, 2011	May 22nd, 2011
Elmwood Park in Sioux Falls, South Dakota	Beaver Creek Nature Area, South Dakota	Beaver Creek Nature Area, South Dakota	Beaver Creek Nature Area, South Dakota
Inquisitive male on fresh spring foliage	Spring migrant male, alert on tree branch	Side view of spring plumaged male	Vertical of spring-plumaged male

Chestnut-sided Warbler 9	Chestnut-sided Warbler 10	Chestnut-sided Warbler 11	Chestnut-sided Warbler 12
May 26th, 2011	May 26th, 2011	May 26th, 2011	May 23rd, 2020
Beaver Creek Nature Area, South Dakota	Beaver Creek Nature Area, South Dakota	Beaver Creek Nature Area, South Dakota	Beaver Creek Nature Area, South Dakota
Breeding plumaged male in sunlight	Breeding plumaged male in sunlight	Male in spring plumage looking into camera	Male peeking out from fresh foliage on burr oak

Chestnut-sided Warbler 13
May 23rd, 2020
Beaver Creek Nature Area, South Dakota
Male partially obscured by spring foliage