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WOOD-WARBLERS SPRING BIRDING
WOOD-WARBLERS
The Bird Enthusiast’s Poster Child for Spring
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By Katelynn Gierlinger Avian Intern, Tin Mountain Conservation Center
Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green, and Chestnut-sided Warblers can be observed within the same forest in the Mount Washington area, and taking the time to consider their unique spatial ecology will help a prospective birder spot them.
Spring officially begins in March, or whenever the snow melts for many of us. However, the cycle of seasons is viewed a little differently from an avian perspective. While we may not see them, many birds begin their spring migration as early as February, making their way from southern overwintering grounds back to northern breeding ranges. Many associate the sight of an American Robin as the first sign of spring, or if you’re like me, the song of a Red-winged Blackbird. Surprisingly, these species often remain residential throughout the United States, retreating into more sheltered locales or communal roosts when the snow falls.
Birds that give a true indication that spring is in full swing are the wood-warblers. These tiny forest gems are the birder’s poster child for the season of new life. Their arrival begins as a trickle, marked by sudden flashes of color and a few small songs, only to be followed by a torrent of birds that fill the woods with noise and activity, where one morning we wake up and are abruptly aware of what birdsong is again. I can always distinctly mark the beginning of spring in this manner. Male warblers typically migrate first to establish breeding territories and prepare for the arrival, and subsequent charming, of the females. Competition for a mate and resources is high, as many species share similar habitats and diets. However, each species has carved out its own ecological niche, or a unique role in its environment. This is how birds partition out shared resources and coexist within the same habitat among other competitors. Warblers demonstrate these complex interactions within a single avian family, namely the Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green, and Chestnut-sided Warblers. Each of these species can be observed within the same forest in the Mount
BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER
Setophaga caerulescens
Source: ebird.org
RANGE
The range map depicts the boundary of the species’s range, defined as the areas where the species is estimated to occur within at least one week within each season.
The Black-throated Blue Warbler was chosen to represent the Tin Mountain Bird Society. Its association with understory shrubs makes it a prolific visitor to the Margaret Marshall Mountain Laurel Warbler Garden at Tin Mountain Conservation Center in Albany, NH.
Washington area, and taking the time to consider their unique spatial ecology will help a prospective birder spot them.
Tin Mountain Conservation Center has been monitoring local bird communities since 2008, performing breeding bird surveys and forest habitat studies in relation to the effects of certain timber harvest techniques on avian population dynamics and distributions. Forest composition and structure are integral to a bird’s life strategies, and our research seeks to understand how local species are influenced by changes to their habitat. Competing warblers are able to share the same forest because they
occupy different levels of its structure. Black-throated Greens prefer the upper canopy, while Black-throated Blues are partial to the understory and lower canopy. Chestnut-sided Warblers inhabit thickets and shrubs along forest edges or in disturbed areas, such as a timber cut that is several years old. The selection and use of these microhabitats allow different species that utilize similar resources to exist and thrive together.
After arriving back on the breeding grounds, birds establish a nesting territory. Black-throated Blue Warblers nest and forage in the understory and will select a nest site that is well concealed in dense shrubs and saplings. Rhododendrons and other shrubs, such as mountain laurel, create enticing labyrinths with twisting branches and broad leaves, making them highly sought spaces to raise vulnerable hatchlings. Locating a nest may prove difficult, but they are one of the easiest
warblers to spot, thanks to their unique coloring and understory preference.
Observing Black-throated Green Warblers, on the other hand, presents more of a challenge. They nest relatively high, within the range of 3 to 10 feet, in saplings and young trees. There is greater safety away from ground predators, and their preferred foraging space within the canopy is just a few wingbeats away. However, trying to spot these energetic feeders as they flit between trees, gleaning insects from leaves, never sitting still, may give you a case of “warbler neck.” This term has been coined by birders using binoculars to track the rapid movements of warblers, craning to see them high in the canopy.
Unlike the previous two species, Chestnut-sided Warbler nests are simply a hazard to find. They build close to the ground, typically in low saplings and shrubs, especially thickets, berry briars,
roses, and even ferns. Their breeding habitat often occurs in early successional or secondary growth forests and is ephemeral in nature, contrasting with the typical mature forest most warblers require. Thus, Chestnut-sided Warblers can be surprisingly nomadic across
However, trying to spot these energetic feeders as they flit between trees, gleaning insects from leaves, never sitting still, may give you a case of “warbler neck.” This term has been coined by birders using binoculars to track the rapid movements of warblers, craning to see them high in the canopy.
UPPER LEFT: Male Black-throated Green Warbler, recognizable by their distinct yellow-hued head and black throat. Females have similar plumage but lack a black throat. UPPER RIGHT: Male Black-throated Blue Warbler, a distinctly colored bird. Females are olive-grey and possess a distinct white square on their wing that differentiates them from other warbler species, similar to the male shown here. LOWER LEFT: This Black-throated Blue Warbler male was carefully handled and safely released after banding for breeding bird population studies. LOWER RIGHT: Male Chestnut-sided Warbler. Females have similar plumage but are less brightly patterned and lack the black mask as seen on this male.
For the Grammar Nerds
The capitalization of English bird names is a distinct part of ornithological science. This form of orthography is different in relation to other areas of study involving animals. Most scientific papers relating to birds will capitalize common names in the manner used in this article, distinctly setting them apart from the typical nomenclature used in other animal sciences.
There are two main reasons for this. One is The American Ornithological Society’s responsibility to maintain, not just the scientific names of birds in North America, but also their common, or English, names. The second has a more practical application. With the huge diversity of birds in the world, a common name may become ambiguous if not capitalized. For example, if someone wrote they saw a “Yellow Warbler,” this would point us to a specific species possessing this name. However, if they wrote “yellow warbler,” it could have been any number of warblers that have yellow plumage, ranging from a Pine Warbler to a Prothonotary Warbler (with many in between). This “style” purpose serves to signify clear distinction between species and is a deeply ingrained principle when studying birds.
generations as forests are harvested and left to mature. This species will occupy an undisturbed breeding ground for no more than a decade, as the flora outgrows the bird’s needs. Once an uncommon species in the eastern United States during John James Audubon’s time, the Chestnut-sided Warbler spread throughout the East as forests were harvested. Their populations have since seen a natural, cumulative decline in recent decades as forests are left to mature once more.
As spring migrants return and our snowbirds leave, bringing the winter birding season to a close, the Mt. Washington Valley will come alive once more with a plethora of species. The Black-throated Blue Warbler was chosen to represent the Tin Mountain Bird Society. Its association with understory shrubs makes it a prolific visitor to the Margaret Marshall Mountain Laurel Warbler Garden at Tin Mountain Conservation Center in Albany, NH. This large stretch of rare mountain laurel is believed to be the northernmost community within its North American range and hosts numerous breeding species of birds. Blooms emerge from June through early July with large, boisterous flowers ranging from white to pale pink, offering quite a sight when visiting the Laurel Loop public trail. Black-throated Green and Chestnut-sided Warblers can also be found in the neighboring Dr. Michael Cline Memorial Forest and Rockwell Preserve, the former featuring several timber cuts, while the latter is a maturing forest, suiting each species’ preferences. These properties are part of Tin Mountain’s 300-acre campus alongside the Warbler Garden and Lori Jean Kinsey Arboretum and Sanctuary. With spring close at hand, now is the perfect time to grab a field guide, camera, or a pair of binoculars and visit some warbler hotspots, like the forests at Tin Mountain. We encourage frequent visitors and newcomers alike to witness the return of the wood-warblers alongside our familiar backyard birds. They are only a short hike away, filling New Hampshire’s forests and gardens with brilliant songs and colorful hues that would turn anyone into an enthusiastic birder.
For more information, visit Tin Mountain Conservation Center’s website at www.tinmountain.org.
About Tin Mountain Conservation Center
Since 1980, Tin Mountain programs have reached thousands of students in grades K–12 who experience the natural world during in-school environmental education programs. Hundreds more experience nature at a variety of summer camps. Year-round community nature programs and naturalist-led field trips provide outdoor recreation and environmental programs to individuals and families, both residents and visitors to New Hampshire’s Mt. Washington Valley. Tin Mountain also conducts a variety of conservation research projects to restore trout habitats and monitor bird species. Exceptionally comfortable, handcrafted cedar Adirondack furniture. Locally sourced, quality construction.
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