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Orange-crowned Warbler
(Vermivora celata)
Banded October 10, 1997 - Carmel, Indiana
General Information
The Orange Crowned Warbler is a resident of Central America, extreme
southeastern North America and coastal western North America. It's most distinguishing
field mark is its lack of distinguishing field marks! It is more commonly seen in the
western than in eastern North America. It's breeding range extends across Canada, Alaska
and the western USA. Each year in central Indiana, we see a few or these as they migrate
between their breeding and wintering grounds.
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Both the male and female are dull grayish
olive with few identifying marks. Four races of this species are recognized. the
individual shown here, captured in central Indiana, is V.c. celata, the race that breed
across Canada and winters in the southeastern USA. the other three races. V.c. orestera,
V.c. lutescens, and V.c. sordida, breed in western regions and winter in western USA and
in Central America, and are generally more yellowish.
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Figure 1 - Orange-crowned Warbler
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Figure 2 - Orange-crowned Warbler
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A light eye stripe and supercilium are about
the only features on the face. The dark eye stripe gives the eye ring a split appearance. |
These birds breed in brushy habitats and open
shrubby mixed woodlands. |
Figure 3 - Orange-crowned Warbler
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Figure 4 - Crown Patch
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The other identifying feature is the orange
crown patch, usually only visible when the crown feathers are raised. A bit of the orange
in the crown can be seen in this photo. Males have a larger crown patch than females or
immatures. |
No particular identifying characteristics
appear on the upper wing. |
Figure 5 - Upperwing Coverts
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Figure 6 - Primary Flight Feathers
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These warblers have 9 primary flight
feathers. Some of the primary flight feathers show emargination on the leading edges. |
A view of the drab underwing coverts and
flank show no particular distinguishing features. The alula feather, also called the
bastard wing, can be seen at the top center of the photo. This feather acts much like the
leading edge flap on the wing of an airplane. It controls airflow over the top of the wing
surface. The bird extends this feather when necessary to prevent stalling when landing and
when flying at slow speeds.
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Figure 7 - Underwing Coverts
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Figure 8 - Orange-crowned
Warbler Tail Feathers
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Retrices are darker than the rest of the
bird. The inner edges of the outer tail feathers have whitish edges. |
The yellow undertail coverts shown here are a
useful field mark to distinguish the Orange-crowned Warbler from the similar Tennessee
Warbler, which has white undertail coverts. |
Figure 9 - Undertail Coverts
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Nesting Behavior
These birds breed in brushy habitats and open shrubby mixed woodlands. The nest, built
by the female, is usually located on or close to the ground. From 4 to 6 eggs are
incubated by the female for up to two weeks. Both parents care for the young, who leave
the nest in just under two weeks.
Banding Recoveries
According to records at the U. S. G. S. Bird Banding Laboratory, a total of 72,947
Orange-crowned Warblers have been banded since 1955. Of these, only 79 have been
recovered. This is a recovery rate of 0.108%.
Conservation Status
Orange-crowned Warblers perform an important role in our ecosystem by gleaning insects
from leaves and foliage. They also eat spiders and berries, and sometimes visit bird
feeders. Annual Breeding Bird Census data indicates that populations of Orange-crowned
Warblers are increasing in some areas in the west, but declining in others. No doubt the
preference of this species for brushy and successional habitat has an important impact on
its population distribution.
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Any use of these images must have permission of CWBO. |
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