Louisiana Waterthrush

Seiurus motacilla
Warbler family (Parulidae)

Habitat:
Bottomland forests with thick vegetation along rapidly moving streams

Description:
Large warbler, 5 ¼” long.  Bobs tail and whole rear end while walking.  Brownish back, wings, and tail; pale buffy eyebrow; heavily streaked underparts; white throat.

Nesting:
Nests on the ground under roots or in cavities in steep banks along streams.  Breeding territory is long and narrow, located along a stream.  Eggs are white with variable brown or purple marks.  Clutch size – 3 to 6 eggs.

Voice:
Song begins with a series of three or four clear slurred whistles followed by a fading series of jumbled twittering notes.  Call is a loud rich “chink”.

Name Origin:
Seiurus:  seio, Greek for “wave”; oura, Greek for “tail”; motacilla, Latin for “wagtail” for its constant tail-wagging behavior.

In the Nature Park:
Neotropical migrant, arrives in early April.  Nest along narrow streams in the deep woods of the Nature Park.