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Information about Wood Warbler

This article refers to the New World wood warbler family of birds, the Parulidae. For the Eurasian species Phylloscopus sibilatrix, see Wood Warbler.
New World warblers
Enlarge picture
Common Yellowthroat
Geolyphis trichas

Common Yellowthroat
Geolyphis trichas
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Aves
Order:Passeriformes
Family:Parulidae
Wetmore et al, 1947
Genera


The New World warblers or wood-warblers are a group of small often colourful passerine birds restricted to the New World. They are not related to the Old World warblers (Sylviidae) or the Australian warblers.

Most are arboreal, but some, like the Ovenbird and the two waterthrushes, are more terrestrial. Most members of this family are insectivores.

It is likely that this group originated in northern Central America, which remains with the greatest diversity and numbers of species. From thence they spread north during the interglacial periods, mainly as migrants, returning to the ancestral region in winter. Two genera, Myioborus and Basileuterus seem to have colonised South America early, perhaps before the two continents were linked, and provide most of the resident warbler species of that region.

Many migratory species, particularly those breeding further north, have distinctive male plumage at least in the breeding seaon, since males need to reclaim territory and advertise for mates each year. This tendency is particularly marked in the large genus Dendroica. In contrast, resident tropical species, which pair for life, show little if any sexual dimorphism.

There are of course exceptions. The Seiurus waterthrushes and Ovenbird are strongly migratory, but have identical male and female plumage, whereas the mainly tropical and sedentary yellowthroats are dimorphic.

The Granatellus chats also show sexual dimorphism, but due to recent genetic work may soon be moved into the family Cardinalidae (New World buntings and cardinals).

All the warblers are fairly small. The smallest species is the Lucy's Warbler (Vermivora luciae), at about 6.5 grams and 10.6 cm (4.2 inches). By far the largest species is the Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens), at 27 grams and 19 cm (7.5 inches).

The migratory species tend to lay larger clutches of eggs, typically up to six, since the hazards of their journeys mean that many individuals will have only one chance to breed. In contrast, two eggs is typical for many tropical species, since the chicks can be provided with better care, and the adults are likely to have further opportunities for reproduction.

The scientific name for the family, Parulidae, originates from the fact that Linnaeus in 1758 named the Northern Parula as a tit, Parus americanus, and, as taxonomy developed, the genus name was modified first to Parulus and then the current Parula. The family name, of course, derives from that genus.

Taxonomic issues

There are a number of issues in the taxonomy of the Parulidae.
  • Sibley and Ahlquist have suggested that the family be merged with the Emberizidae as a subfamily Parulinae. The Olive Warbler, however would be removed from the group as the only member of the separate subfamily Peucedramimae.
  • The New World warblers are closely related to the tanagers, and some species like the conebills Conirostrum and the Bananaquit have been placed into either group by different authorities. Currently, the conebills are normally placed in Thraupidae and the Bananaquit in its own family.
  • Green-tailed Warbler, Yellow-breasted Chat, the Granatellus chats and White-winged Warbler, are other species where there have been questions as to whether they should be considered as warblers or tanagers.
  • The Pardusco, Nephelornis oneilli is also of uncertain affinities

Species list in taxonomic order

Family: Parulidae

Incertae sedis

References

  • Curson, Quinn and Beadle, 1994. New World Warblers. 252 p. ISBN 0-7136-3932-6
  • Lovette, I. J. and E. Bermingham. 2002. What is a wood-warbler? Molecular characterization of a monophyletic Parulidae. The Auk. 119(3): 695-714. PDF fulltext

External links

Bibliography

  • Dunn, Jon. 1997. A field guide to warblers of North America. Boston : Houghton Mifflin Co., x, 656 p. : ill. (some col.), col. maps ; 19 cm.
  • Morse, Douglass H. 1989. American warblers : an ecological and behavioral perspective. Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard University Press, xii, 406 p. : ill., maps.
  • Harrison, Hal H. 1984. Wood warblers’ world. New York : Simon and Schuster, 335 p., 24 p. of plates : ill. (some col.) ; 25 cm.
P. sibilatrix

Binomial name
Phylloscopus sibilatrix
(Bechstein, 1793)

The Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix
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G. trichas

Binomial name
Geothlypis trichas
(Linnaeus, 1766)

The Common Yellowthroat, Geothlypis trichas, is a New World warbler.
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Scientific classification or biological classification is a method by which biologists group and categorize species of organisms. Scientific classification also can be called scientific taxonomy, but should be distinguished from folk taxonomy, which lacks scientific basis.
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Chordata
Bateson, 1885

Typical Classes

See below

Chordates (phylum Chordata) are a group of animals that includes the vertebrates, together with several closely related invertebrates.
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Aves
Linnaeus, 1758

Orders

About two dozen - see section below

Birds (class Aves) are bipedal, warm-blooded, egg-laying vertebrate animals.
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Passeriformes
Linnaeus, 1758

Suborders
  • Acanthisitti
  • Tyranni
  • Passeri


A passerine is a bird of the giant order Passeriformes. More than half of all species of bird are passerines.
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Frank Alexander Wetmore
Born May 18 1886(1886--)
North Freedom, Wisconsin
Died November 7 1978 (aged 92)
Glen Echo, Maryland
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Vermivora
Swainson, 1827

Species

See text.

Vermivora is a genus of New World Warblers.

Species

  • Bachman's Warbler, Vermivora bachmanii Extinct
  • Blue-winged Warbler, Vermivora pinus

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Parula
Bonaparte, 1838

Species

P. gutturalis
P. superciliosa
P. americana
P. pitiayumi

Parula is a small genus of New World warblers which breed in North and South America.
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Dendroica
Gray, 1842

Dendroica is a genus of birds of the New World Warbler family Parulidae. It contains 29 species. The males in breeding plumage are often highly colourful.
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C. bishopi

Binomial name
Catharopeza bishopi
(Lawrence, 1878)

The Whistling Warbler (Catharopeza bishopi) is a species of bird in the Parulidae family.
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Mniotilta
Vieillot, 1816

Species: M. varia

Binomial name
Mniotilta varia
(Linnaeus, 1766)

The Black-and-white Warbler,
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Setophaga
Swainson, 1827

Species: S. ruticilla

Binomial name
Setophaga ruticilla
(Linnaeus, 1758)

The American Redstart,
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Protonotaria
Baird, SF, 1858

Species: P. citrea

Binomial name
Protonotaria citrea
(Boddaert, 1783)

The Prothonotary Warbler (
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Helmitheros
(Rafinesque, 1819)

Species: H. vermivorus

Binomial name
Helmitheros vermivorus
(Gmelin, 1789)

The Worm-eating Warbler
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Seiurus
Swainson, 1827

The genus Seiurus consists of three species of bird in the New World warbler family Parulidae.

They are terrestrial feeders always found near water.
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Oporornis
Baird, 1858

Species

O. formosus
O. agilis
O. philadelphia
O. tolmiei

Oporornis is a small genus of New World warblers which breed in North America.
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Geothlypis
Cabanis 1847

Species

See text.

The yellowthroats are New World warblers in the genus Geothlypis. Most members of the group have localised ranges in Mexico and Central America, but the Masked Yellowthroat has an
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M. palustris

Binomial name
Microligea palustris
(Cory, 1884)

The Green-tailed Warbler (Microligea palustris) is a species of bird in the Parulidae family.
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Teretistris

Teretistris is a genus of bird in the Parulidae family. It contains the following species:
  • Yellow-headed Warbler (Teretistris fernandinae)
  • Oriente Warbler (Teretistris fornsi)

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Leucopeza
Sclater, 1877

Species: L. semperi

Binomial name
Leucopeza semperi
Sclater, 1877

The Semper's Warbler (
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Wilsonia
Bonaparte, 1838

Species

W. citrina
W. pusilla
W. canadensis

Wilsonia is a small genus of New World warblers which breed in North America.
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Cardellina
Bonaparte, 1850

Species: C. rubrifrons

Binomial name
Cardellina rubrifrons
(Giraud, 1841)

The Red-faced Warbler (
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Ergaticus
Baird, 1865

Species

E. ruber
E. versicolor

Ergaticus is a genus of New World warblers endemic to Mexico and Guatemala.

The species are:
  • Red Warbler, E.

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Myioborus
Baird, 1865

species

M. pictus
M. miniatus
M. castaneocapillus
M. brunniceps
M. pariae
M. albifacies
M. cardonai
M. torquatus
M.
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E. lachrymosa

Binomial name
Euthlypis lachrymosa
(Bonaparte, 1850)

The Fan-tailed Warbler, Euthlypis lachrymosa , is an New World Warbler in the monotypic genus Euthlypis
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Basileuterus
Cabanis, 1849

species

Many, see text
Basileuterus is a genus of New World warblers, best represented in Central and South America.
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Zeledonia

Species: Z. coronata

Binomial name
Zeledonia coronata
Ridgway, 1889

The Wrenthrush Zeledonia coronata
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