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Warblers, with their brilliantly colored feathers, are the tiny jewels of Ohio's bird families. They are very active - constantly flittering around. Most are yellow with black-and-white markings. Their plumage varies considerably from spring to fall, juvenile to adult, and male to female. The tail is square, often with white markings. Warblers feed almost entirely on insects gleaned from leaves and twigs with their slender bills. Members of this family abound in any Ohio woodland or brushy area during the spring and fall migration seasons. In spring their buzzlike songs (not warbling) fill the air with a delightful chorus.
Listen
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Chestnut-sided Warbler
Dendroica pensylvanica
At-a-Glance
• Peak Breeding Activity: May-July
• Clutch Size: 4 eggs
• Young Fledge: 10-11 days after hatching
• Typical Foods: mostly insects; some fruit
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Description
In the spring, this warbler is easily identified by its combination of a yellow crown and chestnut colored sides. In the fall, it is lemon-greenish in color above and mostly white below. It also has a narrow white eye-ring and two pale yellow wing bars.
Habitat and Habits
This warbler prefers young woods, woodland edges, brushy fields and thickets. It has become much more common since the original eastern forests were opened up, which created an abundance of the scruffy brushlands and edge habitats that the chestnut-sided warblers require. Their typical song is not too hard to recognize - a clear, ringing please, please, pleased to meetcha! The emphatic up-slurred ending note helps in recognition.
Reproduction and Care of the Young
Female chestnut-sided warblers build a nest of grass and bark, lined with hair and rootlets, a few feet off the ground in a small tree or bush. The female also incubates the eggs alone, but both parents care for the young. |
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