PHOTO LIBRARY

Wilson's Warbler / Paruline à calotte noire (Wilsonia pusilla)

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

common   fairly common   uncommon   rare   occasional   no records

 

QUICK TIPS: 1) Examine the crown - AHY/ASY males have an extensive solid black cap, HY/SY males and AHY/ASY females have a limited black cap with flecks of yellow (note - glossier on males) , and HY/SY females have a mottled yellow/green crown with flecks of black 2) Look at the rectrices - on HY/SY birds they are relatively narrow and pointed, and on AHY/ASY birds they are relatively broad and rounded, though the contrast is not as great as on some other warblers 3) Look at the outer primary coverts - on HY/SY birds they are narrow and tapered with little or no dull olive edging, while on AHY/ASY birds they are broad and rounded with fairly distinct olive edging - but note that many individuals show intermediate characteristics and this feature is therefore often unreliable 4) Examine the throat and face - on males it is golden yellow, on females it tends to be paler yellow Species account updated March 2009

January - July:

ASY - M Solid black cap and golden throat; broad and rounded outer primary coverts and rectrices ASY - F Partial black cap and yellow throat; broad and rounded outer primary coverts and rectrices SY - M Partial black cap and golden throat; narrow and tapered outer primary coverts and rectrices SY - F Primarily yellow-green crown and yellow throat; narrow and tapered outer primary coverts and rectrices

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July - December:

AHY - M Solid black cap; broad and rounded outer primary coverts and rectrices AHY - F Partial black cap; broad and rounded outer primary coverts and rectrices HY - M Partial black cap; narrow and tapered outer primary coverts and rectrices HY - F Primarily yellow-green crown; narrow and tapered outer primary coverts and rectrices

The extent of black on the crown is intermediate for after-second-year females and second-year males (generally more extensive for females); wing and tail need to be examined to determine age and sex, though males tend to have a richer golden tone to the throat.

Photo by Marie-Anne Hudson, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), May 2006

Photo by Marie-Anne Hudson, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), May 2008

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The primary coverts lack edging and are brownish, contrasting with the greater coverts; the primaries and secondaries may be quite pale and worn by spring, as int he first photo below.

Photo by Marie-Anne Hudson, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), May 2008

Photo by Peter Pyle, Big Sur Ornithology Lab (CA), May 2007

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The rectrices tend to be relatively narrow and pointed, but in general their shape is much less reliable than the wing characteristics.

Photo by Marie-Anne Hudson, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), May 2006

Photo by Marie-Anne Hudson, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), May 2008

RETURN TO AGE/SEX OVERVIEW

Individuals with minimal black on the crown, such as in the photos below, are almost always second-year females, but the wing should be checked to confirm age.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), May 2006

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), May 2006


Photo by Marie-Anne Hudson, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), May 2007

Photo by Marie-Anne Hudson, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), May 2008

The solid black cap shown in the photo below is indicative of an after-hatch-year male, but to confirm age and sex it is advisable to consider the wing and tail too.

Photo by Marie-Anne Hudson, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), September 2007
 

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After-hatch-year birds have distinct greenish edging on the primary coverts.

Photo by Marie-Anne Hudson, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), September 2007
 

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The rectrices are broad and fairly rounded on after-hatch-year Wilson's Warblers.

Photo by Marie-Anne Hudson, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), September 2007

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), August 2005

RETURN TO AGE/SEX OVERVIEW

The extent of black on the crown is intermediate and very similar for after-hatch-year females and hatch-year males (generally more extensive for females); wing and tail need to be examined to determine age and sex. 

  Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), September 2005

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Hatch-year Wilson's Warblers typically have minimal edging on the primary coverts, though when fresh, they may show some greenish.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), September 2005

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Rectrices are relatively narrow, and generally taper toward a point.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), September 2005

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Hatch-year females are easily recognizable by having little to no black on the crown.

Photo by Seabrooke Leckie, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), August 2006

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), August 2005
 

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The primary coverts have minimal edging and are brownish, contrasting with the darker greater coverts.

  Photo by Barbara Frei, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), August 2007

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Rectrices are relatively narrow, and generally taper toward a point.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), August 2005

RETURN TO AGE/SEX OVERVIEW