The Bahama yellowthroat is a New World warbler. It is a resident breeder endemic to the Bahamas.
Region
Caribbean
Typical Environment
Found on several islands in The Bahamas, occupying dense thickets, scrub, pinewoods with shrubby understory (pinelands), and mangrove edges. It favors tangled vegetation near the ground or along wetland margins, where it can forage under cover. In pineyards it stays in the lower strata, moving through palmetto and other shrubs. It is largely absent from heavily urbanized areas but may persist in overgrown lots and coppice edges.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 80 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The Bahama yellowthroat is a New World warbler and a resident breeder endemic to The Bahamas. Males have a bold black facial mask and a relatively large bill compared to other yellowthroats. It prefers dense, brushy habitats where it forages low and stays well hidden. Habitat loss and severe storms can negatively affect local populations.
Temperament
skulking and cautious
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low and darting
Social Behavior
Usually found singly or in pairs, especially during the breeding season. Nests are built low in dense vegetation, often near wetlands or in thick scrub. Pairs are territorial and vocal within suitable patches of habitat.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song is a series of clear, ringing phrases reminiscent of the common yellowthroat but richer and more emphatic. Calls include sharp chips given from cover, with males sometimes singing from a slightly elevated perch.
Plumage
Dense, smooth plumage with olive upperparts and bright yellow underparts; males show a striking black facial mask with a pale grayish to whitish border. Females are duller with no mask and have more olive-buff tones on the head and flanks.
Diet
Primarily eats insects and other small arthropods, including beetles, caterpillars, spiders, and flies. It gleans prey from leaves, stems, and low branches, and occasionally sallies to catch insects in short flights. During scarce periods it may opportunistically take small berries.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in dense tangles, mangrove edges, and the understory of pinewoods and coppice. Often forages close to the ground or just above it, moving methodically through thick cover.
