Measurements
Both Sexes
- Length
- 4.3–5.1 in
11–13 cm - Wingspan
- 6.3–7.9 in
16–20 cm - Weight
- 0.2–0.5 oz
6–15 g
Other Names
- Paruline à tête cendrée (French)
- Reinita Colifajeada, Verdin de los magnolias (Spanish)
Cool Facts
- Though it has very specific habitat preferences in the breeding season, the Magnolia Warbler occupies a very broad range of habitats in winter: from sea level to 1,500 meters elevation, and most landscape types, except cleared fields.
- The name of the species was coined in 1810 by Alexander Wilson, who collected a specimen from a magnolia tree in Mississippi. He actually used the English name "Black-and-yellow Warbler" and used "magnolia" for the Latin species name, which became the common name over time.
- The male Magnolia Warbler has two songs. The first song, issued in courtship and around the nest, consists of three short phrases with an accented ending. The second song, possibly issued in territory defense against other males, is similar to the first but is sweeter and less accented.
Habitat
Forest
Breeds in small conifers, especially young spruces, in purely coniferous stands or mixed forest.
Food
Insects
Insect larvae, adult insects, and spiders.
Nesting
Nesting Facts
- Clutch Size
- 3–5 eggs
- Egg Description
- White, with variable speckles or spots.
- Condition at Hatching
- Helpless with tufts of black down.
Nest Description
A loose cup of grasses on a foundation of twigs, lined with black rootlets. Usually located on a horizontal tree branch near trunk, less than 3 m (10 ft) from the ground.
Nest Placement
Tree
Behavior
Foliage Gleaner
Gleans insects primarily from the undersides of conifer needles and broadleaf foliage.
Conservation
Least Concern
Populations increasing slightly throughout most of range.
Credits
- Hall, G. A. 1994. Magnolia Warbler (Dendroica magnolia). In The Birds of North Americaa, No. 136 (A. Poole and F. Gill, Eds.). Philadelphia: The Academy of Natural Sciences; Washington, D.C.: The American Ornithologists' Union.