Family New World Warblers (Parulidae)

Least Concern

Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor)

Taxonomy

French: Paruline des prés German: Rotmantel-Waldsänger Spanish: Reinita galana

Taxonomy:

Sylvia discolor

Vieillot

, 1809,

“the Antilles”, in Caribbean

Species is sister to S. vitellina, but suggestion that the two are conspecifics rejected by recent molecular study#R. Two subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution

S. d. discolor (Vieillot, 1809) – SE Canada (SE Ontario) and E USA E from NW Michigan, SE Iowa, E Kansas and E Texas and S from extreme S Maine (but excluding S coastal areas and most of Florida and Mississippi Valley); migrates to peninsular Florida, Caribbean and islands off coast (also small numbers on adjacent mainland) of C Central America.

S. d. paludicola (A. H. Howell, 1930) – coastal S Florida.

Descriptive notes

11–12 cm; 5·7–10·8 g. Male nominate race breeding has olive-green crown and nape, yellow supercilium and large yellow patch below eye, black... read more

Voice

Two song types. Type 1 song a series of rapid buzzy notes, accelerating and rising in pitch towards... read more

Habitat

Nominate race breeds in dry, scrubby and shrubby areas lacking closed canopy but often with... read more

Food and feeding

Feeds mainly on insects and other arthropods, especially spiders (Araneae); occasionally takes fruit and nectar in winter. Forages mainly... read more

Breeding

Season May–Jul; S populations (including paludicola) often double-brooded. Polygyny regular, but relatively infrequent. Nest... read more

Movements

Resident and medium-distance migrant. Nominate race migratory, leaves breeding grounds from late... read more

Status and conservation

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Listed as a species of conservation concern by US Fish & Wildlife Service. Nominate race generally common throughout range. Like... read more

Bibliography

Public comments

Scientific classification

Class: Aves

Order: Passeriformes

Family: Parulidae

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Previously considered to include species now separated in Peucedramidae, Zeledoniidae and Teretistridae, as well as two genera now in Phaenicophilidae. The most comprehensive molecular phylogeny of present family to date#R recovered nine principal clades; almost all genera correspond to well-supported units, while two confined to West Indies are maintained based on other characters. Several traditionally recognized genera prove to be paraphyletic or otherwise unsustainable: Dendroica is abandoned because Setophaga is nested within it and has priority; Ergaticus is embedded within the clade occupied by Cardellina; Euthlypis is subsumed within Basileuterus; Oporornis is restricted to one species while its former congeners are removed to Geothlypis; Parula proves to be widely paraphyletic (two species move to Setophaga, the rest to a resurrected Oreothlypis); Phaeothlypis is indistinguishable from Myiothlypis; and the three Wilsonia are more correctly placed in Cardellina (two species) and Setophaga (one).

Genus: Setophaga Swainson, 1827

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Previously restricted to a single species (S. ruticilla); but comprehensive molecular phylogeny reveals that this species is deeply embedded within large clade that includes two species formerly in Parula (S. americana and S. pitiayumi) and another (S. citrina) traditionally in Wilsonia, as well as all species previously treated in Dendroica#R; Catharopeza might also be subsumed into this genus#R, but better maintained as a separate monospecific genus, in view of unusual morphology and behaviour, as well as its basal position in the clade. As type species of Parula, Wilsonia and Dendroica are all included in present grouping, these names become synonyms of oldest available name for this clade, Setophaga.

See full taxonomic structure and notes