Description

There are general similarities in all plumages including a bright yellow throat and upper breast and a black mask, whereas the male has a greenish back and yellow underparts and the female is slightly duller.

The Common Yellowthroat is the the most widespread of all the wood-warbler species occurring in habitats consisting of alder and willow brush bordering streams and marshes throughout most of North America.

A distinctive and easily detectable song that begins with a series of clear, but slurred descending notes as represented by "teedle-teedle-teedle-teedle-tew-tew-tew-twe-twee".

Female Townsend's Warbler and fall immature male Blackburnian Warbler

Although the Common Yellowthroat has a creeping foraging behaviour that is similar to that of the Black-and-white Warbler, it is not as prominent and also incorporates gleaning and short sallies for flying insects. The Common Yellowthroat is an early spring migrant that is easily detected visually and vocally in the field and is considered to be a hardy species. Both sexes are known to react aggressively to "pishing" and will give a "cluck" call in order to deter intruders.

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