Family New World Warblers (Parulidae)

Least Concern

Myrtle Warbler (Setophaga coronata)

figure, drawing, illustration of Myrtle Warbler (Setophaga coronata)

Taxonomy

French: Paruline à croupion jaune German: Kronenwaldsänger Spanish: Reinita coronada
Other common names: Yellow-rumped Warbler (when treated as conspecific with S. auduboni)
Taxonomy:

Motacilla coronata

Linnaeus

, 1766,

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

.

Usually treated as conspecific with S. auduboni. Has hybridized with S. pinus, S. palmarum, S. townsendi and other members of genus. Race hooveri weakly differentiated, and sometimes subsumed into nominate, from which differences largely clinal. Two subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution
  • S. c. hooveri (McGregor, 1899) – Alaska and NW Canada (Yukon, C & S Northwest Territories and N British Columbia); migrates mainly to W USA and Central America.
  • S. c. coronata (Linnaeus, 1766) – S Canada (from NC Alberta E to Newfoundland and Nova Scotia) and NE USA (Minnesota and Wisconsin E to New England); migrates mainly to SE USA, E Central America and Caribbean, also Bermuda.

    • Descriptive notes

    14–15 cm; 9·8–16·7 g. Has bright and contrasting yellow rump in all plumages. Male nominate race breeding has grey crown with bright yellow central... read more

    Voice

    Song a variable and loosely structured rather slow, flat trill, often sounding two-parted and... read more

    Habitat

    Breeds in coniferous and mixed forests and woodlands in boreal zone, more often in mixed or... read more

    Food and feeding

    Mainly insects and other arthropods in summer. In winter, feeds much more on fruit and berries, especially bayberry (Myrica),... read more

    Breeding

    Season May–Aug, egg-laying May–Jul; sometimes two broods in a year. Nest a bulky cup of twigs, grasses and moss, lined with... read more

    Movements

    Short-distance to long-distance migrant, and in autumn moves later than do most other parulids;... read more

    Status and conservation

    Not globally threatened (Least Concern). One of the commonest North American parulids; often very abundant, especially in favoured wintering areas, where it may form large... read more

    Recommended citation

    Curson, J., Marks, J.S. & Kirwan, G.M. (2019). Myrtle Warbler (Setophaga coronata). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from https://www.hbw.com/node/61471 on 7 December 2019).