Wilson's Warbler Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesWilson's Warbler
Adult male
Small warbler with a small, thin bill and beady black eye. Entirely yellow below with an olive back. Adult males have a black cap.
© Brad Imhoff / Macaulay LibraryOhio, May 16, 2020Female/immature
Small warbler with a small, thin bill and beady black eye. Females and immatures have an olive crown. Some females show a small black cap.
© Shawn Billerman / Macaulay LibraryWyoming, September 10, 2013Adult male
Entirely yellow below with an olive back. Adult males have a black cap.
© Ryan Schain / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, May 11, 2012Female/immature
Females and immatures have an olive crown, but some females can have a small black cap. Note small patch of black feathers on the crown of this individual.
© Alix d'Entremont / Macaulay LibraryNova Scotia, September 07, 2014Female/immature
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryMontana, August 01, 2001Adult male
Small entirely yellow warbler save for the black cap on adult males. Spends most of its time in the understory.
© Jeff Bryant / Macaulay LibraryIllinois, September 13, 2015Habitat
Breeds in wet meadows and thickets near streams, especially those with willows and alders. Also found in aspen stands and young stands of evergreen trees.
© Justin Saunders / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, June 06, 2017Similar SpeciesOrange-crowned Warbler
Adult
Orange-crowned Warblers are duller olive than Wilson's Warblers and have a thinner bill.
© Caroline Lambert / Macaulay LibraryAlberta, April 30, 2017Similar SpeciesHooded Warbler
Female/immature
Female and immature Hooded Warblers are larger than Wilson's Warblers with a faint olive hood and a yellow cheek patch that female Wilson's lack.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryNew York, September 17, 2011Similar SpeciesHooded Warbler
Adult male
Males have a black throat, while Wilson's Warblers have a yellow throat.
© Evan Lipton / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, April 25, 2014Similar SpeciesNorthern Yellow Warbler
Adult female
Northern Yellow Warblers are larger than Wilson's Warblers with yellow edging on the wings and yellow under the tail.
© Terry Boswell / Macaulay LibraryNova Scotia, June 04, 2017Similar SpeciesCommon Yellowthroat
Adult male
Larger than Wilson's Warblers. Male Common Yellowthroats have a black mask while male Wilson's Warblers have a black cap.
© Ryan Schain / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, June 08, 2013Similar SpeciesCommon Yellowthroat
Female
Female Common Yellowthroats are browner overall than female Wilson's Warblers. Yellow is restricted to the throat and undertail coverts on Common Yellowthroats but covers the entire belly on female Wilson's.
© Davey Walters / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, August 18, 2016Search species and articles
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