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| Species Profile | ||||||
| Tennessee Warbler |
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 Species
Name: Tennessee Warbler (Vermivora peregrina)Length: 4 3/4 inches (12 cm) Description: In all plumages the upperparts are bright olive green, brightest on the lower back and rump. The crown and hindneck vary from gray, contrasting sharply with the back, to bright olive like the back. A pale (whitish to yellowish) supercilium (line above the eye) and indistinct grayish eyeline (through the eye) are present in all plumages. Breast color varies from dull whitish to clear yellow-olive, depending on season, sex, and age. In all plumages the lower belly and undertail coverts are either pure white or whitish tinged with pale yellow. The olive wings show one or two very thin and indistinct pale yellow wingbars. This bird appears rather short-tailed. The bill is sharply pointed with a straight culmen (upper edge of bill). Range: A neotropical migrant, breeding in boreal woodlands across Canada and extending south into Wisconsin, Michigan, New York Adirondacks, and Maine. Winters from south Mexico, through Central America, and into northern South America. Rare but regular in coastal California in winter. Spring migration is primarily trans-Gulf and follows the Mississippi and Ohio River valleys, with typical arrival on the Texas coast in the second week of April. Birds reach the mid Atlantic states in the first weeks of May. They begin to reach breeding territory by mid May and the most northern parts of their range by June 1. Spring migrants stay mostly west of the Appalachians. Tennessee Warblers occur in the western US only as rare vagrants. Fall migration tends more to the east and can begin as early as July, but more typically birds are seen in eastern states in August and into September. Peak migration on the Gulf coast occurs in the first half of October for this species. Vagrant in the western US in fall. Behavior: Quick, nervous, and active. Gleans insects at all levels; typically well up in spring and at lower levels in fall. Related or Similar Species: Superficially similar in color and marking to some vireos, but note the fine warbler bill and quick movements as compared to the heavier bill and slower movements of vireos. Most likely to be confused with Orange-crowned Warbler (Vermivora celata).  Identification:
As with all field identifications, use size, structure, and behavior
to classify the bird to major family – it shows the typical fine
bill and active movements of most warblers. Eliminate vireos by bill shape
and active movements. Then use color and markings to narrow in on species.
Pay attention to the undertail coverts – white on Tennessee Warbler
vs. yellow on Orange-crowned Warbler. A male Tennessee Warbler will also
show white “spots” in the central part of the tail. Finally,
the length of the undertail coverts make the tail of Tennessee Warbler
appear much shorter than on Orange-crowned Warbler.Advice on Finding and Photographing: Like other warblers, this is a small and active bird that can be difficult to photograph as it moves through the canopy. For most photographers the best chances will come at migration concentration points when many birds are likely to be present. In spring try High Island along the Texas Gulf Coast or Magee Marsh in Ohio; in fall try Point Pelee on the Great Lakes. Take advantage of established blinds, or create a setup with water near a portable blind. W Can be abundant on the breeding grounds. Nests on or near the ground, often in sphagnum moss or hummocks in bogs. Elsewhere, pay attention to weather patterns that are conducive to migration “fallouts.” Learn this from local birders and the local rare bird alert or birding listserv. Consider abandoning the massive telephoto and tripod, instead relying on a more mobile setup with a 300/4 or 400/5.6 lens that allows hand holding in close quarters. References:
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