Wood-Warblers

Palm Warbler, Dendroica palmarum

Family Parulidae (Wood-Warblers)

Size: 5.5"

Season: Summer

Habitat: Thickets near spruce bogs, open grassland

The palm warbler forages on the ground for insects while constantly bobbing its tail. It is brownish above with darker streaking, and pale brown-gray below with dark streaking. Chin and undertail coverts are bright yellow. The head has a dark eye stripe, a pale superciliary stripe, and a dark, rufous crown. Nonbreeding adults are paler, with a gray chin and brown crown. Outer tail feathers show small white patches and contrast with an olive-yellow rump. Two races of this species occur: the “yellow,” with a yellow underside (present in New England), and the “brown,” with a pale-gray belly and brown streaking (ranging farther west). The breeding adult is illustrated.