Nashville Warbler Vermivora
This small warbler is relatively unspectacular in appearance. It was
discovered in 1808 near Nashville, Tenn., by Alexander Wilson, who
saw it in migration there and named it for that city. There are two
rather distinct sub-species, one in the midwestern and eastern parts
of North America and the other mainly in the Pacific Coast region.
General: Structurally a small, rather short-tailed warbler
with a sharply pointed bill. It has a conspicuous complete white or
whitish eye-ring. Length: 11.5 cm, weight: 8.7g.
Adult Male: Gray head contrast with yellow throat. Greenish
upperparts, wing coverts and flight feathers with mostly yellow
underparts. Undertail coverts are bright yellow. The deep chestnut
cap is often difficult to see.
Adult Female: Head is dull gray; under parts duller than
adult male. Chestnut on crown much reduced.
Juvenile: Duller overall with buffy eye-ring.
Similar Species: Always told from the related Virginia’s
Warbler of the Southwest by more extensive yellow on the under
parts, by the greenish tint to the back, wing coverts, and flight
feathers, and by the shorter tail. Connecticut Warbler shares the
gray head (adult males), white eye-ring, greenish upperparts, and
yellowish under parts, but is very different in shape and behavior.
The Connecticut Warbler is much larger.
Behavior: A rather active warbler, often feeding at the tips
of twigs or weed stalks. The western birds often bob their tails.
Spring migrants often feed high up in budding trees, but fall birds
are often lower, frequently feeding on low weed stems. Feeds
primarily on insects but will take berries and nectar in nonbreeding
Habitat: Found in brushy areas and low woods, often in
deciduous trees - open second-growth woods, thickets, woodland
The deep chestnut cap is partly concealed by other feathers but can
be exposed when the bird raises its crest, such as when it is
alarmed or displaying to another bird. A flight song is sometimes
given, with slow, fluttering wingbeats. The nest is cuplike of
conifer needles, mosses, fur, and hair, placed on the ground often
at base of shrubs. Four to five eggs are laid, white with brown
Populations appear to be stable.
As suggested by the capture rate (2010-2012; standardized as
birds captured per 100 net hours) of a few individuals
during migration in April, May and September, the Nashville
Warbler is a vagrant to Colony Farm. It is typically found
in dry conditions at moderate to high altitude in the
southern interior of British Columbia and winters in