Yellow Warbler

Dendroica petechia
Warbler family (Parulidae)

Habitat:
Dense shrub thickets in wet areas, especially areas dominated by willows.

Description:
Medium-sized warbler, 4” long.  Male – all yellow with reddish
streaks on breast.  Female (not shown) – duller yellow with fainter
or no breast streaks.

Nesting:
Deep nest cup built in an upright fork or crotch of a tree or bush, usually 3 to 8 feet above the ground.  Eggs are white with blotches at end.  Clutch size – 4 to 5 eggs.

Voice:
Song sounds like “sweet sweet sweet so sweet” with last note accented.  Also has an unaccented song version.

Name Origin:
Dendroica:  dendron, Greek for “tree”; oicos, Greek for “inhabit”; petechia, Modern Latin for “purplish spot” for russet-red streaks on its breast.

In the Nature Park:
Neotropical migrant, arriving in mid to late April.  Common in old fields with lots of shrubs.