Measurements
Both Sexes
- Length
- 4.3–5.5 in
11–14 cm - Wingspan
- 7.5–10.2 in
19–26 cm - Weight
- 0.6–1 oz
16–28 g
Other Names
- Paruline couronnée (French)
- Pizpita dorada, Señorita del monte, Verdín suelero (Spanish)
Cool Facts
- On its breeding ground, the Ovenbird divides up the forest environment with the other warblers of the forest floor. The Ovenbird uses the uplands and moderately sloped areas, the Worm-eating Warbler uses the steep slopes, and the Louisiana Waterthrush and the Kentucky Warbler use the low-lying areas.
- The Ovenbird gets its name from its covered nest. The dome and side entrance make it resemble a Dutch oven.
- It's a tough life being a small migratory bird. Studies estimate that half of all adult Ovenbirds die each year. The oldest known Ovenbird was seven years old.
- Neighboring male Ovenbirds sing together. One male starts singing, and the second will join in immediately after. They pause, and then sing one after the other again, for up to 40 songs. The second joins in so quickly that they may sound from a distance as if only one bird is singing. Ovenbirds rarely overlap the song of their neighbors.
Habitat
Forest
- Breeds in mature deciduous and mixed deciduous and coniferous forests.
- Winters in primary and second growth forests.
Food
Insects
Forest insects.
Nesting
Nesting Facts
- Clutch Size
- 3–6 eggs
- Egg Description
- White with dark speckles in a wreath around the large end.
- Condition at Hatching
- Helpless with sparse brown down.
Nest Description
Nest a woven domed cup of dead leaves and plant stems, with the entrance on the side. Placed on ground. Lined with hair.
Nest Placement
Ground
Behavior
Ground Forager
Picks insects off leaf litter on the forest floor.
Conservation
Least Concern
Maturation of forests in Northeast may be causing slight increases in the Ovenbird population. May be declining at edge of range.
Credits
- Van Horn, M. A. and T. M. Donovan. 1994. Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapillus). In The Birds of North America, No. 88 (A. Poole, and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.