Arctic Warbler Identification

The Four Keys to ID

• Size & Shape

  A small, compact songbird with a thin, short bill, long wings, and medium-length tail. Physically similar to American warblers (also known as "wood-warblers").

  Relative Size

  Slightly larger than a Wilson’s Warbler, slightly smaller than a Blackpoll Warbler.

  sparrow-sized or smaller

  Measurements

  • Both Sexes
• Color Pattern

  Brownish olive above, pale gray with yellow tones below, with a long pale eye stripe and thin, faint wingbar in fresh plumage.

• Behavior

  Flits and hops rapidly through trees and shrubs, often flicking the wings, examining twigs and leaves for insects, especially caterpillars. Males sing from perches relatively high in dwarf willows or other stunted trees.

• Habitat

  Breeds in subarctic habitats with stunted trees (willows, spruces, birches). Migrates across a broad front to Asia, using a variety of vegetated habitats. Winters in gardens and forests in Southeast Asia from sea level to 4,000 feet in mountains.