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Chestnut-sided Warbler - (Dendroica
pensylvanica)
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| August
21, 2009 - Today we saw a new bird, who stayed
and posed for several pictures. We were struck
by his coloring, yellow on top with an underside
of grayish white. After looking at quite a few
pictures of small birds, we determined and
rechecked in all the bird books that showed
variations that we were visited by a juvenile
chestnut-sided warbler. Never having seen any
sign of the male or female adult, we are still
hopeful we may be luckier another year. Since
this warbler spends much of his life foraging in
the undergrowth and thickets, he and his
parents may have enjoyed feasting on the bugs in
our yard (they missed a few). But fall migration
peaks in early September, so our young bird may
just have been passing through on his way to
winter in the Caribbean. (big sigh for lots of
reasons). |
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Size:
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Length:5 in
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Weight: .3-.4oz |
Wingspan: 7.75-8 in |
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ID:
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Male: Spring:
Yellowcrown; white cheeks, throat and
belly; light olive to yellow with black
streaking on upperparts; black lores,
malar mark and eye stripe (mask-like);
two yellow wing bars; rich chestnut
flanks; dark bill; slate-blue legs and
feet anisodactylous (three toes point
forward and one toe points backward)
Fall: Yellowish green
crown, nape and back (some light
streaking on back); gray face and sides;
may retain some chestnut; white eye-ring
Female:When breeding similar to male
but duller colors with some streaking on
yellow cap; less chestnut on flanks;
mask may be blackish gray
Juvenile: Lime green head and back;
white eye ring, yellow wing bars;
grayish white undersides; some have
slight chestnut coloring on flanks
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Habitat:
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Shrubby, deciduous second growth
woods, overgrown fields, forest edges
and thick undergrowth; easily adapted to
deforestation and became more populated
as old forests were cut down; as new
full growth secondary forests and
cleaner farming practices became more
common, population of this warbler has
decreased again because of the decrease
in a scrubby, low growth vegetation
habitat
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Diet:
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Insects, especially larvae,
caterpillars, seeds and berries; takes
food from leaves and shrubs and forages
on the ground
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Family Behavior:
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Mating Habits: Monogamous and
solitary; 1-2 broods per year
Local Breeding Period: Late May
Nests:Cup shaped; built by female; made
of bark and plant material with lining
of fur and grasses, in crotch of small
tree or thicket
Eggs: 3-5 white to greenish white
with brown markings; female incubates
11-13 days
Nestlings: Born altricial (helpless,
naked, eyes closed) and stay in nest
10-12 days; fed by both parents
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Social Activities:
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Solitary or in pair, tame; forages by
drooping wings and raising tail above
its back; flocks with other dendroicas
in winter
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Range:
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Breeds in southern Canada,
Great Lakes to Northeast US and into the
Appalachians
Winters in Central America
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Vocalization:
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Pleasant, high-pitched please,
please, pleased to meetcha; call sweet,
musical chip
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| Lifespan: |
Up to 7 years |
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