Cerulean Warbler
Setophaga cerulea
Warbler family (Parulidae)
Male has a “cerulean” blue back, white wing bars, white breast and belly, and bluish “necklace” across throat. Female has a greenish-blue back with a yellowish-white eyebrow, throat, and upper breast.
Nesting:
Nests in tall trees. Builds nest well away from the trunk on a horizontal branch. Eggs are green with variable brown marks. Clutch size – 3 to 5 eggs.
Voice:
Song is a series of rapid buzzy notes on one pitch ending with a higher note, “zray zray zray zree.”
Name Origin:
The genus name Setophaga is from the Greek for "moth eater." The species name cerulea is from the Latin for “sky blue.”
In the Nature Park:
Neotropical migrant, arrives in early May. Difficult to see because they usually stay high in the canopy.
More Information:
The genus name was recently changed from Dendroica to Setophaga.
Photos:
Cerulean Warbler (male)
