Black-throated Blue Warbler

Dendroica caerulescens

The Black-throated Blue Warbler is a common migrant in the eastern United States, but is normally only a rare stray west of the Mississippi.  The males are striking and distinctive, with dark bluish upperparts, a black face and throat, and white underparts.  Females are much plainer, with a olive-gray body.  They are often more easily observed than many warblers due to their tame nature, although their preferred habitats often are dense thickets.

Habitat: Uses large tracts of deciduous and deciduous/conifer mixed forests for breeding, especially if there is a dense shrubby undergrowth.  During migration, they also are most often found in forested and brushy locations.  In the winter, they are found in dense tropical forests as well as more open areas such as fence rows and suburban areas.

Diet: In summer, primarily feeds on insects and spiders.  In winter, insects still make up a large portion of the diet, but they also will feed on fruits, berries, seeds, and nectar.

Behavior: Forages deliberately in the canopy, taking insects from the surfaces of leaves and branches, hovering and gleaning insects from vegetation, or occasionally flitting out to capture insects in mid-air.

Breeding: Non-breeder in South Dakota

Song: The song is a buzzy, hoarse zhurr-zhurr-zhurr-zhree, with the last note higher.  The call note is a soft tsip.  Click here to listen to the Black-throated Blue Warbler's song.  Cick here to listen to the Black-throated Blue Warbler's call.

Migration: Summers in the Appalachians, New England, the Great Lakes region, and southeastern Canada.  Winters in southern Florida and the Caribbean.

Similar Species: Males are generally distinctive, with a possible confusion with the Cerulean Warbler.  Females may be confused with Tennessee Warblers or Orange-crowned Warblers.

Feeders: They will come to feeders for suet and peanut butter in migration.  They also will occasionally feed on nectar offered at hummingbird feeders.

Conservation Status: They require large tracts of forest land for breeding, and have declined in parts of their range due to habitat fragmentation.

Further Information: 1) USGS Patuxent Bird Identification Info Center: Black-throated Blue Warbler

2) Cornell University's "All About Birds - Black-throated Blue Warbler"

3) eNature.com: Black-throated Blue Warbler

Photo Information: Photo courtesy of Doug Backlund