The Yellow-rumped Warbler is one of the most common warblers in North America. Although other warblers have yellow rumps, none are as conspicuous as consistently as this species.It is a small songbird with bright yellow rump in all plumages. It has yellow patches and streaks on the sides of the chest. It has white wingbars, white tail spots, and white crescents above and below the eye. It has a pale throat which is white in the widespread "Myrtle" form or yellow in the western "Audubon's" form. The Myrtle and Audubon's forms were once considered different species.The Yellow-rumped Warbler is the only warbler able to digest the waxes found in bayberries and wax myrtles. Its ability to use these fruits allows it to winter farther north than other warblers, sometimes as far north as Newfoundland. "Myrtle" form breeds in coniferous forests from Alaska through Canada and to the northern United States from Minnesota to Maine and southward to Pennsylvania and West Virginia. "Audubon's" form breeds in western North America from British Columbia and Alberta southward to California and western Texas. Also in Mexico and Guatemala.(Cornell Lab of Ornithology. All About Birds (Online)). |
