The Canada warbler is a small boreal songbird of the New World warbler family (Parulidae). It summers in Canada and northeastern United States and winters in northern South America.
Region
Boreal Canada and northeastern United States; northern Andes
Typical Environment
Breeds in moist, mixed and coniferous forests with dense shrub layers, especially near streams, forested wetlands, and riparian thickets. Prefers shaded, tangled understory such as hobblebush, mountain laurel, and young regeneration after disturbance. During migration it uses forest edges and second-growth thickets. In winter it occupies humid montane forests and cloud forests, often along ravines and watercourses where cover is thick.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2500 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This long‑distance migrant breeds in the boreal forest of Canada and the northeastern United States and winters in the northern Andes of South America. It is easily recognized by its bright yellow underparts and bold black "necklace" of streaks across the chest, plus a conspicuous white eye-ring that forms "spectacles." Populations have declined due to loss of dense understory on the breeding grounds and cloud-forest habitat on the wintering grounds.
Temperament
active and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats; agile through dense understory
Social Behavior
Breeding pairs are territorial, nesting near the ground in mossy hummocks or at the base of shrubs. The female builds a cup nest and incubates 3–5 eggs while the male often helps feed nestlings. Outside the breeding season, individuals join mixed-species flocks in forest midstory and understory.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
A rapid, bright, and buzzy series of variable notes, often rendered as chip-chupety-swee-tee with a hurried, energetic quality. Calls include a sharp tsip or chink given from dense cover.
