The ovenbird is a small songbird of the New World warbler family Parulidae. It is the only species placed in the genus Seiurus. This migratory bird breeds in eastern North America and winters in Central America, many Caribbean islands, Florida and northern Venezuela.
Region
Eastern North America, Caribbean, and Central America
Typical Environment
Breeds widely in mature deciduous and mixed forests across eastern Canada and the eastern United States, favoring extensive tracts with a closed canopy and rich leaf litter. In winter it occupies tropical and subtropical forests, shaded plantations, and dense second growth from Mexico and Central America through the Caribbean to northern South America. It prefers forest interiors and typically avoids edges and heavily fragmented habitats. Nests are built on the ground in secluded, leafy spots, often on slight banks. During migration it uses wooded parks and forest patches with adequate ground cover.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2000 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Named for its domed, oven-like ground nest, the ovenbird is a forest-interior warbler that walks rather than hops. Its ringing 'teacher-teacher-teacher' song carries through mature woods. As a ground nester reliant on deep leaf litter, it serves as an indicator of intact deciduous and mixed forests.
Adult with raised "crest", Léon-Provancher Ecological Reserve, Quebec, Canada
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low and direct
Social Behavior
Breeding pairs defend territories on the forest floor and low understory. The female builds a domed, side-entrance nest on the ground and both parents provision the young. Generally monogamous within a season; males sing from mid-story perches to advertise territory.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
A loud, accelerating 'teacher-teacher-teacher' series that rises in volume and urgency. Calls include sharp 'tsip' notes, especially during migration and alarm.
Plumage
Olive-brown upperparts with white underparts heavily marked with bold dark streaks/spots on the breast and flanks; clean white throat. Crown shows an orange patch bordered by two dark stripes; face plain with a thin white eye ring.
Diet
Primarily consumes leaf-litter arthropods such as beetles, ants, caterpillars, spiders, and small snails. It occasionally takes small fruits and berries during migration and winter when insects are less available. Foraging involves deliberate walking and probing through leaf litter, flipping leaves to expose prey.
Preferred Environment
Feeds on the forest floor of closed-canopy deciduous and mixed forests with deep leaf litter. In winter it forages in shady understory and thickets within humid forests and plantations.
