Pine Warbler

October 6, 2017
Pine Warbler
Setophaga pinus

by Helena Ives, University of Connecticut
Still hanging around in pine trees, the Pine Warbler is usually one of the last songbirds to migrate south. Some will even over-winter at feeders here, particularly if they find suet. Most spend the winter in the south-eastern U.S., so if you plan to be in Florida over the next few months, look for them there too.

What it looks like: The Pine Warbler is similar in size and coloration to many of the other warblers found here, and can often be hard to identify. Their tails are usually quite helpful in identification, though, and are comparably longer than other warblers’, with a distinct central notch. The Pine Warbler is primarily yellowish in color, but gray wings with prominent white wing bars, and olive back, can aid in identification.

Where to find it: As their name indicates, Pine Warblers spend most of their time in pine trees –- the highest parts. Because of this, they can be difficult to see, but their occasional foraging on the ground or within shrubs and deciduous trees during migration can create a great sighting opportunity for the patient birder.

Check eBird for locations of recent sightings, which include Connecticut Audubon’s Smith Richardson sanctuary in Greens Farms and Bafflin Sanctuary in Pomfret; Chatfield Hollow State Park, in Killington; and the Mamacoke Conservation Area at Connecticut College in New London.

Pine Warblers can frequently be identified by sound in pine or mixed pine-deciduous forests. Their steady, musical trill can be easily heard throughout Connecticut during the summer and into the fall migration period.

Facts: As the only warbler that eats large amounts of seed, they are known to visit bird feeders, especially when evergreen seeds are scarce. In addition to their late migration, Pine Warblers are usually one of the first warbler species to migrate north in spring. So, if you miss a sighting this fall, make sure to keep your eyes and ears peeled as early as late February!

Conservation status: Classified as “Least Concern” by the IUCN, the Pine Warbler has an estimated breeding population of 13 million, with a majority of that spending at least part of the year in the United States.

The Pine Warbler populations is significantly impacted by loss of pine trees within the forests of eastern United States. As a result, their habitat specialization has decreased overall as they have begun to adapt and settle in areas with mixed pine-deciduous forest.

Photo: Ken Schneider, Carolinabirds.org