Yellow Warbler (Dendroica petechia)

The Yellow Warbler, Dendroica petechia, is a New World warbler. It is the most widespread Dendroica warbler, breeding in almost the whole of North America and down to northern South America.

The Yellow Warbler has 35 geographical races, which can be divided into three main groups.

The Yellow Warbler, aestiva, group breeds in the whole of North America as far south as central Mexico in open, often wet, woodland or shrub. It is migratory, wintering in Central and South America. This form is a very rare vagrant to western Europe. It is 11.5 cm long and weighs 9 g. The summer males of this group are greenish above and yellow below, with red breast streaking. The various aestiva races vary mainly in brightness.

The Mangrove Warbler, erithacoroides, group is larger at 12.5 g and weighs 11 g. It is resident in the mangrove swamps of coastal Central America and northern South America. The summer males differ from aestiva Yellow Warblers in that they have rufous hoods. The races in this group vary in the extent and hue of the hood.

The Golden Warbler, petechia, group is resident in the mangrove swamps of the West Indies. The summer males differs from aestiva Yellow Warblers in that they have a rufous crown or hood. The races in this group vary in the extent and hue of the head patch. v Other plumages of all races are essentially greenish above and a duller yellow below, although young males soon acquire breast and, where appropriate, head colouration.

Behaviour

Yellow Warblers nest in trees, building a cup nest. Aestiva lays 3-6 eggs, but the two other groups, which breed in mangroves, lay fewer eggs, as would be expected for tropical races.

These birds feed on insects and spiders, but northern races will also take some berries.

The song is a musical sweet sweet sweet, I'm so sweet, although it varies considerably between races. The call is a soft or harder ship.

Bald Eagles can weigh up to 14 pounds and attain a height of 3 to 3 1/2 feet. They have a huge wing span of 6–8 feet. Typically, the female of the species is larger that the male and bald eagles living in the north are believed to be larger than ones in the south. They can live up to 30 years in the wild and even longer in captivity.