New World warbler

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This article refers to the New World wood warbler family of birds, the Parulidae. For the Eurasian species Phylloscopus sibilatrix, see Wood Warbler.

iNew World warblers

Common Yellowthroat
Geolyphis trichas

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Parulidae Wetmore et al, 1947

Genera

Vermivora
Parula
Dendroica
Catharopeza
Mniotilta
Setophaga
Protonotaria
Helmitheros
Limnothlypis
Seiurus
Oporornis
Geothlypis
Microligea
Teretistris
Leucopeza
Wilsonia
Cardellina
Ergaticus
Myioborus
Euthlypis
Basileuterus
Zeledonia
Icteria
Granatellus
Xenoligea

The New World warblers or wood-warblers are a group of small often colourful passerine birds restricted to the New World. They are not related to the Old World warblers (Sylviidae) or the Australian warblers.

Most are arboreal, but some, like the Ovenbird and the two waterthrushes, are more terrestrial. Most members of this family are insectivores.

It is likely that this group originated in northern Central America, which remains with the greatest diversity and numbers of species. From thence they spread north during the interglacial periods, mainly as migrants, returning to the ancestral region in winter. Two genera, Myioborus and Basileuterus seem to have colonised South America early, perhaps before the two continents were linked, and provide most of the resident warbler species of that region.

Many migratory species, particularly those breeding further north, have distinctive male plumage at least in the breeding seaon, since males need to reclaim territory and advertise for mates each year. This tendency is particularly marked in the large genus Dendroica. In contrast, resident tropical species, which pair for life, show little if any sexual dimorphism.

There are of course exceptions. The Seiurus waterthrushes and Ovenbird are strongly migratory, but have identical male and female plumage, whereas the mainly tropical and sedentary yellowthroats are dimorphic.

The Granatellus chats also show sexual dimorphism, but due to recent genetic work may soon be moved into the family Cardinalidae (New World buntings and cardinals).

The migratory species tend to lay larger clutches of eggs, typically up to six, since the hazards of their journeys mean that many individuals will have only one chance to breed. In contrast, two eggs is typical for many tropical species, since the chicks can be provided with better care, and the adults are likely to have further opportunities for reproduction.

The scientific name for the family, Parulidae, originates from the fact that Linnaeus in 1758 named the Northern Parula as a tit, Parus americanus, and, as taxonomy developed, the genus name was modified first to Parulus and then the current Parula. The family name, of course, derives from that genus.

1 Taxonomic issues
2 Species list in taxonomic order
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Taxonomic issues

There are a number of issues in the taxonomy of the Parulidae.

Sibley and Ahlquist have suggested that the family be merged with the Emberizidae as a subfamily Parulinae. The Olive Warbler, however would be removed from the group as the only member of the separate subfamily Peucedramimae.
The New World warblers are closely related to the tanagers, and some species like the conebills Conirostrum and the Bananaquit have been placed into either group by different authorities. Currently, the conebills are normally placed in Thraupidae and the Bananaquit in its own family.
Green-tailed Warbler, Yellow-breasted Chat, the Granatellus chats and White-winged Warbler, are other species where there have been questions as to whether they should be considered as warblers of tanagers.
The Pardusco, Nephelornis oneilli is also of uncertain affinities

[edit] Species list in taxonomic order

Family: Parulidae

Bachman's Warbler, Vermivora bachmanii
Blue-winged Warbler, Vermivora pinus
Golden-winged Warbler, Vermivora chrysoptera
Tennessee Warbler, Vermivora peregrina
Orange-crowned Warbler, Vermivora celata
Nashville Warbler, Vermivora ruficapilla
Virginia's Warbler, Vermivora virginiae
Colima Warbler, Vermivora crissalis
Lucy's Warbler, Vermivora luciae

Flame-throated Warbler, Parula gutturalis
Crescent-chested Warbler, Parula superciliosa
Northern Parula, Parula americana
Tropical Parula, Parula pitiayumi

Yellow Warbler, Dendroica petechia
Chestnut-sided Warbler, Dendroica pensylvanica
Magnolia Warbler, Dendroica magnolia
Cape May Warbler, Dendroica tigrina
Black-throated Blue Warbler, Dendroica caerulescens
Yellow-rumped Warbler, Dendroica coronata
Black-throated Gray Warbler, Dendroica nigrescens
Golden-cheeked Warbler, Dendroica chrysoparia
Black-throated Green Warbler, Dendroica virens
Townsend's Warbler, Dendroica townsendi
Hermit Warbler, Dendroica occidentalis
Blackburnian Warbler, Dendroica fusca
Yellow-throated Warbler, Dendroica dominica
Olive-capped Warbler, Dendroica pityophila
Grace's Warbler, Dendroica graciae
Adelaide's Warbler, Dendroica adelaidae
Barbuda Warbler, Dendroica subita
St. Lucia Warbler, Dendroica delicata
Pine Warbler, Dendroica pinus
Kirtland's Warbler, Dendroica kirtlandii
Prairie Warbler, Dendroica discolor
Vitelline Warbler, Dendroica vitellina
Palm Warbler, Dendroica palmarum
Bay-breasted Warbler, Dendroica castanea
Blackpoll Warbler, Dendroica striata
Cerulean Warbler, Dendroica cerulea
Plumbeous Warbler, Dendroica plumbea
Arrow-headed Warbler, Dendroica pharetra
Elfin-woods Warbler, Dendroica angelae

Whistling Warbler, Catharopeza bishopi

Black-and-white Warbler, Mniotilta varia

American Redstart, Setophaga ruticilla

Prothonotary Warbler, Protonotaria citrea

Worm-eating Warbler, Helmitheros vermivorus

Swainson's Warbler, Limnothlypis swainsonii

Ovenbird, Seiurus aurocapillus
Northern Waterthrush, Seiurus noveboracensis
Louisiana Waterthrush, Seiurus motacilla

Kentucky Warbler, Oporornis formosus
Connecticut Warbler, Oporornis agilis
Mourning Warbler, Oporornis philadelphia
MacGillivray's Warbler, Oporornis tolmiei

Common Yellowthroat, Geothlypis trichas
Belding's Yellowthroat, Geothlypis beldingi
Altamira Yellowthroat, Geothlypis flavovelata
Bahama Yellowthroat, Geothlypis rostrata
Olive-crowned Yellowthroat, Geothlypis semiflava
Black-polled Yellowthroat, Geothlypis speciosa
Masked Yellowthroat, Geothlypis aequinoctialis
Gray-crowned Yellowthroat, Geothlypis poliocephala
Hooded Yellowthroat, Geothlypis nelsoni

Green-tailed Warbler, Microligea palustris

Yellow-headed Warbler, Teretistris fernandinae
Oriente Warbler, Teretistris fornsi

Semper's Warbler, Leucopeza semperi

Hooded Warbler, Wilsonia citrina
Wilson's Warbler, Wilsonia pusilla
Canada Warbler, Wilsonia canadensis

Red-faced Warbler, Cardellina rubrifrons

Red Warbler, Ergaticus ruber
Pink-headed Warbler, Ergaticus versicolor

Painted Redstart, Myioborus pictus
Slate-throated Redstart, Myioborus miniatus
Tepui Redstart, Myioborus castaneocapillus
Brown-capped Redstart, Myioborus brunniceps
Yellow-faced Redstart, Myioborus pariae
White-faced Redstart, Myioborus albifacies
Saffron-breasted Redstart, Myioborus cardonai
Collared Redstart, Myioborus torquatus
Spectacled Redstart, Myioborus melanocephalus
Golden-fronted Redstart, Myioborus ornatus
White-fronted Redstart, Myioborus albifrons
Yellow-crowned Redstart, Myioborus flavivertex

The members of Myioborus are also often, more accurately, named as whitestarts, as they have conspicuous white, not red, feathers on the tail sides.