Tennessee Warbler (Leiothlypis peregrina)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Leiothlypis ("plain unknown warbler") peregrina ("wanderer")

Tennessee Warbler (Leiothlypis peregrina) at Tarcoles, Costa Rica - November 2025

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 10g  /  Length: 11cm  /  Wingspan: 19cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Despite the name, the Tennessee Warbler does not actually breed anywhere near Tennessee, but rather has a range that makes it a near endemic breeder in Canada, only barely tipping over the US border at a few points. It is named as such as this is where a specimen on migration was collected. However, it is a long distance migrant to the Caribbean, Central America and the Northernmost countries of South America, where, while it's there, is a very common and adaptable species found in a wide range of habitats and altitudes. 
 
Related Species: 
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Parulidae
Genus: Leiothlypis
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 
 
- Sighting Locations - 

COSTA RICA - Spanish (Costa Rica) - Reinita Verdilla

A common and widespread Winter migrant
- COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen at Tarcoles, San Jose and San Gerardo de Dota. 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Setophaga ("moth eating") pensylvanica ("of Pensilvania")

 

Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica) at Alajuela, Costa Rica - November 2025

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 8-13g  /  Length: 10-14cm  /  Wingspan: 16-21cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern 

A long distance migrant that breeds in South East Canada, New england and the Great Lakes before migrating to Central America from the Yucutan to Panama for Wintering. The male has an unusual colour palette for a warbler with a white underside with terracotta red under the wings, black markings and a yellow crown making it easy to distinguish from other warblers. They are primarily predators of caterpillars and fly larvae.
 
Related Species: 
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Parulidae
Genus: Setophaga
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 
 
- Sighting Locations -

COSTA RICA - Spanish - Renita de Pensilvania ("Pensilvanian Warbler")

A widespread species that Winters in most of Costa Rica except the North West.
- COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen at Alajuela 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Parkesia (for ornithologist Kenneth Parkes) noveboracensis ("New York")

 

Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) at Tarcoles, Costa Rica - November 2025

Featured Subspecies: Unknown
Weight: 13-25g  /  Length: 12-15cm  /  Wingspan: 21-24cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Despite the name and appearance, actually a member of the New World Warblers. However, it does have a similar niche to thrushes with a large focus in its diet on invertibrates taken from the ground including worms and molluscs as one expects from species like song thrush in Europe. Their breeding range in largely in Alaska, Canada and New England, and they Winter in Central America, the Carribean and the North of South America.
 
Related Species: 
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Parulidae
Genus: Parkesia
SUBSPECIES: undecided - either none or P. n. limnaeus, P. n. notibilis, P. n. noveboracensis
 
- Sighting Locations - 

COSTA RICA - Spanish - reinita charquera norteña
A common and widespread Wintering species
- COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen at Tarcoles 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Chestnut-capped Warbler (Basileuterus delattrii)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Basileuterus ("kingly") delattrii (for naturalist Adolphe Delattre)

Chestnut-capped Warbler (Basileuterus delattrii) at Location, Costa Rica - November 2025

Featured Subspecies: Basileuterus delattrii mesochrysus
Weight: ?  /  Length: 12cm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

At time of writing, a very recently recognised species - only split in 2021 from the similar rufous-capped warbler whose range is largely within Mexico. The Chestnut-capped has a more southerly range and is instead distributed from Honduras to Venezuela.

Related Species: 
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Parulidae
Genus: Basileuterus
SUBSPECIES: B. r. delattrim B. r. mesochrysus, B. r. actuosus
 
- Sighting Locations -

COSTA RICA - Spanish - Reinita Coronicastaña ("Red-crowned Warbler")

Found in Western Costa Rica
- COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen at Tarcoles 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Black-cheeked Warbler (Basileuterus melanogenys)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Basileuterus ("kingly") melanogenys ("black cheek")

Black-cheeked Warbler (Basileuterus melanogenys) at San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica - November 2025

Featured Subspecies: Basileuterus melanogenys melanogenys

Weight: 13g/kg  /  Length: 13cm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

An endemic of the Talamancan montane forests usually only found from altitudes of 2500m, despite this highly local and specialised range it has three subspecies. They have an unusual setup of building domed nests on banks or gullies where the female lays two white eggs.
 
Related Species: 
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Parulidae
Genus: Basileuterus
SUBSPECIES: B. m. melanogenys, B. m. eximius, B. m. bensoni
 
- Sighting Locations -

COSTA RICA - Spanish - Reinita Carinegra
Endemic to Talamancan Montane Forests of Costa Rica and Panama from 2500m altitude
- COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen San Gerardo de Dota

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Cardellina (diminutive version of name for Goldfinch) pusilla ("tiny")

 

Adult male Wilson's Warbler (subspecies C. p. chryseola) at Berkeley, California - August 2022

Featured Subspecies: Cardellina pusilla chryseola
Weight: 5-10g  /  Length: 10-12cm  /  Wingspan: 14-17cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A small bright yellow warbler primarily found in Alaska and Canada, the male is most easily identified by it's distinctive black cap. It generally prefers damp areas with steams, ponds and bogs. As with warblers generally, it is primarily insectivorous.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Parulidae
Genus: Cardellina
SUBSPECIES: C. p. pusilla, C. p. pileolata, C. p. chryseola

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES 
Breeds throughout Alaska, the West Coast and more local populations elsewhere.
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at  Berkeley

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Black-throated Gray Warbler (Setophaga nigrescens)

OTHER NAMES: Black-throated Grey Warbler
Latin Etymology: Setophaga ("moth eating") nigrescens ("blackish")

Adult male Black-throated Gray Warbler (Setophaga nigrescens) at San Francisco, California - September 2022

Featured Subspecies: Setophaga nigriscens nigriscens
Weight: 8.4g  /  Length: 13cm  /  Wingspan: 19cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A species of distinctive pied warbler with a small bright yellow eyebrow, despite a fairly wide range and distinctive colouring it is considered poorly known. It is a bird of forest, where it's favoured food is caterpillars. It non-breeding range is situated entirely within Mexico.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Parulidae
Genus: Setophaga
SUBSPECIES: S. n. halseii, S. n. nigriscens

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES 

Breeds in Western States of the Lower 48
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at  San Francisco

 Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Townsend's Warbler (Setophaga townsendi)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Setophaga ("moth eating") townsendi (named for John Townsend)

Adult male Townsend's Warbler (Setophaga townsendi) at San Francisco, California - September 2022

Featured Subspecies: n/a
Weight: 8.8g  /  Length: 11-13cm  /  Wingspan: 20cm
NO UK STATUS/ IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A stunningly coloured New World Warbler tied to the Pacific Coast, Townsend's warbler is a long distance migrant despite it's small size, with a migratory range spanning from Alaska to Oregon in the Summer to Oregon to Central America in the Non-breeding season. The female is less starkly patterned with the male, with the blacks being replaced by olive tones.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Parulidae
Genus: Setophaga
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES 
Breeds in extreme Northwest of the Lower 48 and Southern Alaska, Winters along Pacific Coast of Lower 48
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at Roy's Redwoods and San Francisco

 Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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