Townsend's warbler is a small songbird of the New World warbler family.
Region
Western North America and Mesoamerica
Typical Environment
Breeds in mature and mixed coniferous forests from coastal and southeastern Alaska through British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest into the northern Rocky Mountains. During migration it moves through western North America, using forest edges, riparian corridors, and urban parks with large conifers. Winters along the Pacific Coast into California and Baja and widely in the highlands of Mexico and parts of Central America, especially pine–oak and montane forests. It favors the canopy and midstory but will descend to lower levels during cool or inclement weather.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 3000 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Townsend's warbler is a small New World warbler that breeds in coniferous forests of the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. It often joins mixed-species flocks in winter and can hybridize with the closely related Hermit Warbler, especially where their ranges meet. The male’s bold yellow face with a black auricular patch and black throat is a key field mark. During migration it frequently forages high in the canopy, hover-gleaning insects from conifer needles.
Adult female showing lighter facial markings and yellow throat as opposed to the Male's black markings and black throat.
In California, USA
Temperament
active and alert
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
On breeding grounds it is territorial and generally pairs seasonally monogamously, placing a cup nest on horizontal conifer branches. Outside the breeding season it commonly joins mixed-species flocks with other warblers and kinglets. Both sexes forage nimbly among needles and small twigs, frequently hover-gleaning.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
The song is a high, thin, buzzy series often rising and slightly accelerating, with a sweet, sibilant quality. Calls are sharp, thin tsip notes used during foraging and contact. Males sing persistently from mid to upper canopy perches in spring and early summer.
Plumage
Male is striking with a bright yellow face framed by a black auricular patch, black crown and throat, olive-green back with bold black streaks, and two white wing bars; underparts are yellow with dark flank streaking. Female is duller with more olive and gray tones, weaker facial contrast, and reduced throat black. Both sexes show clean white undertail coverts and a relatively sharp contrast between yellow face and darker ear patch.
Diet
Primarily eats insects and other arthropods, including caterpillars, beetles, flies, and spiders. In winter it may supplement with small berries and occasionally nectar. It gleans prey from conifer needles and small branches and often hover-gleans to snatch hidden insects. During migration it exploits insect-rich edges and riparian foliage.
Preferred Environment
Most often feeds in the mid to upper canopy of spruce, fir, hemlock, and pine forests. In winter it forages in pine–oak highlands and mixed evergreen woodlands, frequently within mixed flocks. In parks and urban areas with mature conifers, it works the outer foliage.
