#Setophaga americana

[occasionallybirds]

Northern Parula (Setophaga americana)

October 6, 2023

John Heinz National Wildlife Preserve, Tinicum, Pennsylvania

[na-bird-of-the-day]

BOTD: Northern Parula

Photo: Andrew Weitzel

"This small warbler is often hard to see as it forages in dense foliage of the treetops. However, it is easy to hear; the male seems to repeat his buzzy trickle-up song constantly from early spring through mid-summer at least. Northern Parulas hide their nests inside hanging Spanish moss in the South, or in the similar Usnea lichens in the North, where they are impossible to spot except by the actions of the parent birds."

- Audubon Field Guide

[birdblues]

Northern Parula

[birds-and-flowers]

Northern Parula (Setophaga americana)

© Tyler Ficker

[proton-wobbler]

Warbler Showdown; Bracket 2, Poll 9

Black-throated Gray Warbler (Setophaga nigrescens)

IUCN Rating: Least Concern

Range: typically breeds west of the Rockies, from lower British Columbia to the very northern edge of Mexico (mostly there in Baja California). Overwinters in Baja California Sur, as well as the Pacific slope of Mexico, sometimes along the interior of the country as well.

Habitat: found in open coniferous or mixed coniferous-deciduous woodlands with brushy undergrowth, as well as pinyon-juniper and pine-oak; this is true for breeding, migration, and winter habitats.

Northern Parula (Setophaga americana)

IUCN Rating: Least Concern

Range: breeds from southeast Manitoba to southern Quebec, as well as a heavy portion of Mid-Atlantic and Southern States. The extirpation (local extinction) of this species from the middle band of its range (the northern Midwest) is likely due to air pollution decimating the mosses which it uses to build its nest. Overwinters in Florida, heavily in the Caribbean, as well as the Yucatan and southern Mexico.

Habitat: breeds in mature, riparian ('riverside') forests with epiphytic growth. In winter, this bird is the complete opposite, becoming a habitat generalist across areas such as fields, pastures, scrub, dry to wet forests, croplands, and even commercial plantations.

Image Sources: BTYW (Mason Maron); Parula (Mollie Langdon)

[thelostcanyon]

Northern Parula (Setophaga americana), Brazos Bend State Park, Fort Bend County, Texas.

[bala5]

Northern Parula by Richard Laeton - Balaram

The Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) is a small songbird belonging to the wood-warbler family. It’s known for its bright plumage, yellow throat patch, and distinctive song. This bird has captured the attention of many due to its unique appearance and behavior.

Symbolism in Spirituality

The Northern Parula is also seen as a symbol of spiritual growth and transformation. It represents personal development and self-improvement in various spiritual practices.

Northern Parula as a Symbol of Personal Growth: Its journey from winter to summer plumage signifies personal growth and change.

Northern Parula as a Symbol of Nature’s Cycle: The bird’s migration journey symbolizes the cyclical nature of life, reminding us of nature’s cycles.

The Northern Parula is a fascinating creature with deep symbolic meanings across different cultures. Its vibrant colors and migration journey make it an iconic figure in various belief systems. It represents renewal, growth, transformation, balance, and harmony. The bird’s presence serves as a reminder of the interconnectedness of all living beings and the cyclical nature of life. As we learn from its symbolism, we can appreciate nature’s beauty and our role in preserving it.

[herpsandbirds]

Northern Parulas (Setophaga americana), male, family Parulidae, Gulf Coastal area of Texas, USA

photographs by Greg Lavaty

[gfloutdoors]

Yellow Birds in Ohio: A Guide to the State's Bright Avian Species

American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus various) Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) Northern Parula (Setophaga Americana) Pine Warbler (Setophaga pinus) Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius) Wilson’s Warbler (Cardellina pusilla) ImageBird…

[pickerelstripe]

[CM] Birds - Biyaw 1

How are we already to our second-last bird post? Holy cow, these are flying by! Today we’ve got the first half of biyaw* species - birds that are hunted often and easily by the Clan. This is the longest list by far, as ClayClan considers most birds to be fair game.

Below are translations for two ducks, warblers, and... a ton more!

Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) - Mwek Small big-headed duck; females are black-and-white, males are largely white with glossy head feathers. Present in winter, spring, and fall. Have the same diet as mallards. The first time I saw buffleheads, they were on a pond in Missouri just after New Year’s - they’re cute little fellows! Hey, didn’t we see this before? I moved buffleheads from eyawoon* to biyaw* after posting the eyawoon* list - woops! They’ll be here from now on.

Green-winged teal (Anas carolinensis) - Hapwip Small duck with dark brown and green markings on the head. Present year-round but most common in spring and fall. Feed on various grasses, insects, molluscs, that sort of thing. 

Yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) - Oo’oo Medium-sized bird with clean brown-and-white feathers and a curved yellow beak. Present in summer and fall. Feed on insects (notably caterpillars and cicadas), eggs, snails, small reptiles, and fruit. 

Sora (Porzana carolina) - Kipipip Small chickenlike rail with brown-and-gray feathers and a bright yellow bill. Present in summer and fall, but more common in summer. Feed on seeds, insects, and snails.

American goldfinch (Spinus tristis) - Assuassu Handsome yellow birds - males have clean black wings and foreheads, females are duller overall. Abundant year-round. Feed on seeds. Goldfinches are one of my favorite species - I plan to get a tattoo of one!

Rusty blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) - Shashwee Blackbird with seasonal coloration; in winter, males and females are mottled black-and-brown, but in spring breeding males develop crisp black feathers. Present year-round, but most common in spring and fall. Feed on insects, small aquatic animals, seeds, and sometimes other birds.

Common grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) - Chup Big blackbird with glossy black feathers, females being duller, and white eyes. Present year-round but most abundant in spring and early summer, falling in numbers as the year goes on. Feed on numerous things; insects, frogs, minnows, lizards, and eggs. 

Yellow warbler (Setophaga petechia) - Swee’k’k Small yellow bird, males having reddish breast streaks. Present in early summer through fall. Feed mostly on insects.

Black-and-white warbler (Mniotilta varia) - Eekeek Very distinct mottled black-and-white bird. Present in summer and fall. Feed on insects. 

Palm warbler (Setophaga palmarum) - Swee Unique warbler with a colorful face and duller body. Present in spring and summer. Feed on insects. Unlike other warblers, palm warblers spend much of their time foraging on the ground.

Yellow-rumped warbler (Setophaga coronata) - Pfswee Distinct gray-and-black bird with white spots on the forehead and flanks. Present year-round, but abundant in summer and fall. Feed on insects and fruit. Like some other birds, yellow-rumped warblers display different coloration based on their location - “myrtle” warblers are the ones present on ClayClan territory, but there’s also the striking black-and-yellow “Goldman’s” down south! 

Northern parula (Setophaga americana) - Rreep Blue, yellow, and white warbler. Present in summer and fall. Feed on insects. Parulas nest on hanging mosses and lichens high in the tree canopy, so their eggs are rarely encountered by Clan cats.

Common yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) - Wishywee Yellow-and-tan warbler, males with a striking black mask over their eyes. Present in summer and fall. Feed mostly on insects. Wishywee is another one of my favorite words :]

[birds-that-screm]

Northern Parula (Setophaga americana)

© Gena Flanigen

[birdsagainstgravity]

Northern Parula (Setophaga americana)

© rwolfert

[birdblues]

Northern Parula

[birds-and-flowers]

Northern Parula (Setophaga americana)

© Dan Hayes

[occasionallybirds]

Northern Parula (Setophaga americana)

September 26, 2021

Southeastern Pennsylvania

[birds-in-trees]

Northern Parula (Setophaga americana)

© Gena Flanigen