Worm-eating Warbler Identification

The Four Keys to ID

• Size & Shape

  A small songbird, shaped like many other warblers but with a rather long, spikelike bill and moderately long wings and tail.

  Relative Size

  Larger than a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, smaller than a Song Sparrow.

  sparrow-sized or smaller

  Measurements

  • Both Sexes
  • • Length: 4.4-5.2 in (11.2-13.1 cm)
    • Weight: 0.4-0.5 oz (12-14 g)
    • Wingspan: 7.9-8.7 in (20-22 cm)

  © Jesse Amesbury / Macaulay Library

• Color Pattern

  Brownish olive above with rich buff head and underparts, a black eyeline and crown stripes, and pinkish legs.

• Behavior

  Worm-eating Warblers hunt insects in dense understory foliage, especially in clusters of dead leaves and vine tangles. Males sing an insectlike trill that is easily confused with the song of Chipping Sparrow. The species is territorial in nesting and wintering sites but occasionally joins mixed-species flocks in winter.

• Habitat

  Breeding birds use woodland habitats with dense understory, especially on slopes in the northern part of their breeding range. Migrants and wintering birds are found in many habitat types, from mangroves to mountain forests.