BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER

BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER(Setophaga caerulescens) – (See images below)
DESCRIPTION: The Black-throated Blue Warbler adult male has a blue head, blue back and tail. The face – including the eye area – is black, as well as the throat. This black extends as two bands along the breast and belly. The under parts are white. There is some white on the wings. The short bill is black and the legs dark grey. The female is olive-grey on top and has a light grey stripe above the eye. Its under parts are creamy, and there is a white spot on the wings. The bird’s length is about 12 cm (5 inches).
VOICE: https://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Setophaga-caerulescens
NAME: Warblers are thus called thanks to their generally melodious songs. The Latin genus name ‘setophaga’ means ‘moth eating’, and the Latin species name ‘caerulescens’ refers to a type of blue color.
HABITAT: This warbler’s preferred habitat is the older hardwood and mixed forest with some dense under storey.
DIET:Forages for insects mainly under the leaves in its breeding range, but also sometimes catching them on the fly. Feeds on berries also in the winter.
NESTING: This warbler builds its nest near the ground in dense shrubs in the forest. Around three or four creamy eggs are laid, incubated by the female. Chicks are fed by both parents.
DISTRIBUTION: The Maritimes sit at the northeast end of this bird’s breeding range, which covers the Appalachians. It migrates to the Caribbean and parts of Central America for the winter. It can be seen in urban areas during its migration.
DISTRIBUTION MAP: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-throated_blue_warbler#/media/File:DendroicaCaerulescensMap.svg
ON PEI: Breeds on Prince Edward Island, fairly common in the spring and summer.
CONSERVATION: The number of black-throated blue warblers has increased in its breeding range, but is impacted in its wintering range by deforestation and habitat fragmentation.
SIMILAR SPECIES: Common Yellowthroat (female), Tennessee Warbler (female)
REFERENCES: https://www.borealbirds.org/bird/black-throated-blue-warbler
https://www.mba-aom.ca/jsp/toc.jsp (Maritimes Breeding Bird Atlas)
https://identify.whatbird.com/obj/305/_/Black-throated_Blue_Warbler.aspx
American Bird Conservancy (Black-throated Blue Warbler)
https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/black-throated-blue-warbler
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-throated_Blue_Warbler/id

Black-throated blue warbler male feeding chicks – photo by S. Maslowski, Fish & Wildlife Service
Black-throated blue warbler male feeds
its chicks, S. Maslowski, USFWS
Black-throated blue warbler, female – Dick Daniels
Black-throated blue warbler female
by Dick Daniels
Black-throated Blue Warbler, male – Fountain Head, PEI – June 10, 2016 – Wanda Bailey
Black-throated blue warbler, Wanda Bailey