10 Spring Warblers You Should Know

It’s worth a visit to a marshy area for a quick look at common yellowthroats. Although they try to remain out of sight, they flit in and out of reeds and cattails. Listen for the wichity-wichity-wichity song, and look for the male’s distinct black mask.

This easy-to-spot warbler spends time in low shrubs and small trees. During spring migration, magnolia warblers zip through the eastern half of the U.S. on the way to their breeding grounds in Canada and in northern states like Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Bright yellow plumage is common among warblers. But the male American redstart, covered in mostly black, breaks all the rules. Redstarts are among the most active warblers, showing off orange-red patches as they flit through trees. Be on the lookout for redstarts if you’re birding on eastern forest edges.

Unlike many warblers, this species forages, and even nests, close to the ground. The male’s black hood around a yellow face helps with ID when he’s spotted in his ideal habitat—shady undergrowth in the southeast and northeast during summer breeding season.

It’s hard to miss the brilliantly colored yellow warbler. One of the most common of the 50 warbler species, you won’t have to go deep into the forest to see one. Yellows can be found near open woods, streams, orchards and even roadsides.

The male’s dark colors reflect this bird’s favorite migration habitat: in the shadows of undergrowth in eastern woods. Females look completely different, with dull olive coloring.

No other warbler sports its unique color combination. An olive-yellow cap and rufous sides make the chestnut-sided a showstopper. It passes through the eastern U.S. during migration, so be on the lookout for this beauty on forest edges.

The vibrant yellow throat is an important field mark. These warblers are early migrants and spend their summers in the southeastern U.S. They forage high in the canopy of swamp and pine forests.

Don’t let the name fool you! These streaky-faced birds prefer dense thickets throughout the eastern U.S. Males have signature chestnut-colored marks on their backs. Females have similar, though subtler, markings.

Listen for the male’s recognizable song, zoo, zee, zoo zoo zee, and then look up—way up! These birds stay high in coniferous or mixed forests throughout summer in the northeast. They are “green” because both males and females have olive backs.