Bird I.D. Requested

[dapjwy]

I almost felt embarrassed asking for a bird I.D...then I realized that I can't know everything (and clearly don't). Mostly, I know the feeder birds...but a lot fewer of the insect or fruit eating birds.

I spotted this while trying to capture shots of the various birds attracted to the ripening elderberries.





Any ideas what it is?

Not the clearest pictures, but I think they are enough for an ID.

[rockerBOO]

Warbler I think.

[Birding Bunch]

I am pretty sure this is a Common Yellowthroat, immature male. This is a type of Warbler. It looks as if the dark mask is just beginning to develop.

[EllenW]

I think it's a warbler too. They are migrating through here.

[dapjwy]

Thank you all.

I finally got a chance to relax and do a search of my own. This is what I came up with, but I am not sure: Orange-crowned Warbler - Whatbird.com There was another that I thought it could be...again a warbler, so it seems I'm on the right track.

I'm not very familiar with warblers at all, but I think I saw one a couple of years ago (with members here helping me to identify it, I think).

I'll check out your IDs too, BirdingBunch.

Early this summer, I kept startling a small, bright yellow bird as I'd walk one of my paths that is between the "hedgerow" and edge of my "meadow". I felt sure it was nesting low to the ground in the meadow, but I never got a good look at it, and I didn't want to do more than a perfunctory search for fear of unduly upsetting the nesting bird.

Just this past week, I found the nest. I'd love to know what it was that nested there.

Does anyone know the nesting habit of warblers?

[disuhan]

This is almost assuredly a Common Yellowthroat. I'm not sure about sex or age, but it appears to be a female to me. The males are much easier to identify with their black mask, but the females are definitely harder. It's hard to explain, but subtle differences in the shape of the head and beak that to me (with several years of birding experience) seems easy to recognize. I've always thought of yellowthroats as having a head disproportionately bigger, and fluffier maybe, than than other warblers, making it look "cuter" than other warblers. Along more scientific lines, there is a clear distinction between the upper color (dull brownish-yellow) and the throat/breast color (brighter yellow), even in the females.

Orange-crowned warbler does not have a bright yellow patch; it's more mottled yellowish. Orange-crowns are also much more rare (I've never seen one in my 10 years of serious birding), whereas common yellowthroats are indeed quite common, especially in meadows and wet areas, sometimes in yards (your yard sounds like wonderful yellowthroat habitat).

As far as nesting habits of warblers, since it's such a diverse group behaviorally, the nesting sites vary quite a bit. Some warblers are canopy species, like bay breasted, blackburnian and black-throated green. Others are understory specialists like Kentucky, black-throated blue, and hooded warblers. Common yellowthroats do nest in tall grasses often in meadows (especially wet meadows). Your mystery bird could have very likely been the female. They bounce around quite a bit making a bunch of noise but can be very hard to get eyes on. The yellow warbler nests in small trees on the edges of forests/meadows/shrubby areas. This is another possibility.

Hopefully all that info helped sort things out rather than confuse you. Let me know if you have more questions.

[EllenW]

That's interesting disuhan.

[dapjwy]

BirdingBunch and disuhan,

I finally had a chance to do a search for "female common yellowthroat" That sure does look like you nailed it. Thank you.

I had a feeling it was either a female or immature male no matter what it was.

Originally Posted by disuhan

This is almost assuredly a Common Yellowthroat. I'm not sure about sex or age, but it appears to be a female to me. The males are much easier to identify with their black mask, but the females are definitely harder. It's hard to explain, but subtle differences in the shape of the head and beak that to me (with several years of birding experience) seems easy to recognize. I've always thought of yellowthroats as having a head disproportionately bigger, and fluffier maybe, than than other warblers, making it look "cuter" than other warblers. Along more scientific lines, there is a clear distinction between the upper color (dull brownish-yellow) and the throat/breast color (brighter yellow), even in the females.

She (or he) sure is on the cute side.

I hope to someday have that second sense that you seem to have that is hard to explain to a beginner (I'm a beginner when it comes to birds I've never encountered).

I was surprised how much yellow there was on the breast. It is cool that some females are not nearly as dull as others.

Originally Posted by disuhan

...common yellowthroats are indeed quite common, especially in meadows and wet areas, sometimes in yards (your yard sounds like wonderful yellowthroat habitat).

As far as nesting habits of warblers, since it's such a diverse group behaviorally, the nesting sites vary quite a bit. Some warblers are canopy species, like bay breasted, blackburnian and black-throated green. Others are understory specialists like Kentucky, black-throated blue, and hooded warblers. Common yellowthroats do nest in tall grasses often in meadows (especially wet meadows). Your mystery bird could have very likely been the female. They bounce around quite a bit making a bunch of noise but can be very hard to get eyes on. The yellow warbler nests in small trees on the edges of forests/meadows/shrubby areas. This is another possibility.

I'm glad our yard (and the habitat I've been trying to restore for the past six years) seems to be prime habitat for quite a few bird species. I was so happy to have Baltimore orioles nesting where I could see them this year! The other day, I think I spotted three immature rose-breasted grosbeaks--new to me birds (except for my handy field guide which showcases them on the cover--I think).

Anyway, I'd love to know what yellow bird was nesting near the ground in the grass and weeds (and a few natives) in a small multiflora rose that I'd yet to yank out [-I plan to replace it with the pasture rose (Rosa carolina, I think) which won't take over the meadow and eliminate the biodiversity that feeds these birds and their young].

Originally Posted by disuhan

Hopefully all that info helped sort things out rather than confuse you. Let me know if you have more questions.

Thanks, you didn't confuse me...and it is great to know that I can ask questions as they arise and learn more.

[Birding Bunch]

Anyway, I'd love to know what yellow bird was nesting near the ground in the grass and weeds (and a few natives) in a small multiflora rose that I'd yet to yank out

This might be a long shot, but could it be a Dickcissel? The males look almost like mini Meadowlarks with their yellow breast and black bib. . The female has a yellow front. They nest about two feet off the ground in shrubs. They like open habitat. The range map on All About Birds do not show them in PA, but looking at Ebird, they are not as common as Iowa, but are breeding there.

Another bird I am thinking of is a Yellow Warbler, as disuhan said, but I am not as familiar with them. We've seen them during migration, but do not think they nest here. Now that the birds are gone, did you get a picture of the nest?

[dapjwy]

Originally Posted by Birding Bunch

This might be a long shot, but could it be a Dickcissel? The males look almost like mini Meadowlarks with their yellow breast and black bib. . The female has a yellow front. They nest about two feet off the ground in shrubs. They like open habitat. The range map on All About Birds do not show them in PA, but looking at Ebird, they are not as common as Iowa, but are breeding there.

I am no expert...but it probably is a long shot.

I have no way of knowing if the yellow bird I saw flying from the same spot each time I used that path is the same bird that I posted here. I wish I got a good shot of that one as well.

Originally Posted by Birding Bunch

Another bird I am thinking of is a Yellow Warbler, as disuhan said, but I am not as familiar with them. We've seen them during migration, but do not think they nest here. Now that the birds are gone, did you get a picture of the nest?

April 30th of 2011, I got a shot of another warbler (I think), but again, not a great detailed shot. Here are the photos from back then:






Also, I did take photos of the nest...although I'm not saying it is the same bird...though it could be. Can anyone identify the bird by the nest...or at least rule out any by the nest?



Dang! There it goes again with the upside down photo. I have a program that quickly lets me rotate the canvas, but that tool stopped working and it is a pain to go through this other program. I think I have to reinstall the first to get that feature going again--it always tells me that I need to select the photo first (even though I have a photo selected)...sigh...I love technology--when it actually works.