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Worm-eating Warbler

ID Info
Silhouette WarblersWarblers
Worm-eating WarblerHelmitheros vermivorum
  • ORDER: Passeriformes
  • FAMILY: Parulidae

Basic Description

Keeping low to the ground as it rifles through dense tangles of undergrowth, the Worm-eating Warbler might go unnoticed completely were it not for its voice: a loud chip and a sharp, dry, trilling song. A warbler with a unique color palette, this olive and buff species nests in large forest tracts (often on steep slopes) with rich laurel, rhododendron, holly, or dogwood understories. They use their large, sharp bills to hunt for insects and spiders in foliage and clusters of dead leaves.

More ID Info
image of range map for Worm-eating Warbler
Year-roundBreedingMigrationNonbreeding
Range map provided by Birds of the World
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Find This Bird

Worm-eating Warblers mostly stay in the interior of closed-canopy forests with abundant understory plants, often on steep slopes. Their preference for dense understories can make them hard to see, so start by listening for the male’s song, a very rapid trill that can be confused with a Chipping Sparrow’s song. While many warbler species can be seen at forest edges, head into the forest interior to find this species.

Other Names

  • Reinita Gusanera (Spanish)
  • Paruline vermivore (French)
  • Cool Facts