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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American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Setophaga ("moth eating") ruticilla ("Red")

Immature male American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) at Buffalo Creek State Park, Minnesota - July 2024

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 7-9g  /  Length: 11-14cm  /  Wingspan: 16-23cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Despite the name, no relation to the Old World redstarts of muscicapidae, nor for that matter as a New World warbler, any relation to the Old World Warblers. The male is a striking black orange and white bird, while the females have bright yellow panels on chest and tail. 

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

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES - Patchy range across the North Eastern half of the Lower 48 as habitat allows
 - CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: Seen in Minnesota

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

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Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)

OTHER NAMES: Myrtle Warbler
Latin Etymology: Setophaga ("moth eating") coronata ("crowned")

Adult female Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata) at Teslin Lake, Yukon, Canada  - August 2024

Featured Subspecies: Myrtle Warbler - Setophaga coronata
Weight: 12g  /  Length: 14-15cm  /  Wingspan: 19-24cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A species of somewhat complex and potentially unresolved taxonomic status - the Yellow-rumped warbler is currently comprised of four subspecies which are by some authorities treated as separate species - Myrtle Warbler, Audobons Warbler, Black-fronted Warbler and Goldman's Warbler. The most numerous warbler in North America, it primarily breeds in Canada and Winters in the South-East US and the West Coast.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Parulidae
Genus: Setophaga
SUBSPECIES: S. c. coronata, S. c. audoboni, S. c. nigrifons, S. c. goldmani

 - Sighting Locations -

CANADA -Breeding migrant across South East Canada.
  - CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: - Seen in Yukon

UNITED STATES - Breeds in North East Lower 48 and Alaska and Winters in Southern States 
 - CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: Seen in Minnesota and Alaska

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

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Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)

OTHER NAMES: American Yellow Warbler
Latin Etymology: Setophaga ("moth eating") petecchia ("small red spot")

 

Adult female Species (Setophaga petechia) at Buffalo Creek State Park, Minnesota, USA - July 2024

Featured Subspecies: Setophaga petechia aestiva
Weight: 7-25g  /  Length: 10-18cm  /  Wingspan: 16-22cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A small but extremely adaptable species of warbler whose range goes into the Arctic Circle at it's most Northerly, while also having resident populations in the Caribbean and South America, with gaps in it's range being largely only desert. The 32 subspecies are sometimes split into five groups - the American Yellow Warbler, the Mangrove Warbler, the Galapagos Yellow Warbler and the Golden Yellow Warbler. 

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Parulidae
Genus: Setophaga
SUBSPECIES: S. p. rubiginosa, S. p. amnicola, S. p. aestiva, S. p. morcomi, S. p. sonorana, S. p. dugesi, S. p. oraria, S. p. bryanti, S. p. erithachorides, S. p. chrsyendeta, S. p. paraguanae, S. p. cienagae, S. p. castaneiceps, S. p. hizophorae, S. p. xanthotera, S. p. aequatorialis, S. p. peruviana, S. p. aureola, S. p. ruficertex, S. p. armouri, S. p. flavida, S. p. eoa, S. p. gunlachi, S. p. gundlachi, S. p. albicollis, S. p. cruciana, S. p. bartholemica, S. p. melanoptera, S. p. ruficapilla, S. p. babad, S. p. petechia, S. p. alsiosa, S. p. rufopileata, S. p. obscura, S. p. aurifrons

 - Sighting Locations -

CANADA -Breeds throughout most of Canda
  - CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: - Seen at Writing-on-Stone NP

UNITED STATES - Breeding migrant in the upper 2/3 of the Lower 48 and through much of Alaska,
 - CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: Fairly common throughout in appropriate habitat

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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