Cerulean Warbler Song Heard in the Forest

Hawk Mountain’s Stewardship crew reported hearing the delicate song of a Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulea) while doing forest restoration work on the property.

Like most other warbler species, ceruleans can be incredibly hard to spot due to their tiny size and high canopy feeding habits. Listen for a series of warbling notes followed by a high-pitched buzzy trill. Males are unmistakable, sky blue with white underside, bib, and wing bars. Dark streaking on the flanks and wings accompany a thin neck band of the same shade. Females are bluish green and yellow, with a light-colored eyebrow and wing bars. Cerulean warblers are considered a Near Threatened species by the IUCN due to a steep decline over the last 50 years. The good news is that populations have since stabilized due to conservation efforts, including reforestation projects and other work to alleviate habitat loss, but more effort is required to bring this species back to a secure status.

Photo by Johannes Jansen.