Measurements
Both Sexes
- Length
- 3.9–5.9 in
10–15 cm - Wingspan
- 7.5 in
19 cm - Weight
- 0.3–0.5 oz
9–13 g
Other Names
- Paruline des buissons (French)
- Chipe cabecigiris de Tolmie, Reinita de tupidero, Reinita de MacGillivray, Verderón de Tolmie, Verdin de Tolmie (Spanish)
Cool Facts
- MacGillivray's Warbler and Mourning Warbler are now considered distinct species, but in the recent past, they have been considered to be the same species on the basis of similar plumages and possible cases of hybridization where their ranges overlap. Size disparity (MacGillivray's is smaller), consistent differences in morphology and song, and physical separation of breeding ranges supports the recognition of separate species.
- MacGillivray's Warbler nests from near sea level to as high as 3,000 meters (9842 ft) in elevation.
- MacGillivray's Warbler was named by John James Audubon for his friend and editor, Dr. W. MacGillivray. Audubon coined this name even though John Kirk Townsend had already named the species "Tolmie's Warbler," after Dr. W. T. Tolmie.
Habitat
Open Woodland
Clear-cuts in coniferous forest, mixed deciduous forest, and riparian areas and thickets. Requires dense understory.
Food
Insects
Insects.
Nesting
Nesting Facts
- Clutch Size
- 2–6 eggs
- Egg Description
- Creamy white, with variable tints and speckling.
- Condition at Hatching
- Helpless and naked.
Nest Description
An open cup of coarse grass and other plant fiber, placed at or near ground level under dense shrub cover.
Nest Placement
Shrub
Behavior
Foliage Gleaner
Feeds at or just above ground level. Usually gleans from low branches.
Conservation
Least Concern
Because of its preference for cleared or regenerating land, MacGillivray's Warbler has probably benefited from human land-use practices such as logging and mining.
Credits
- Pitochelli, J. 1995. MacGillivray's Warbler (Oporornis tolmiei). In The Birds of North America, No. 159 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and the American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.