Connecticut Warbler

September 28, 2017

Connecticut Warbler
Oporornis agilis
 
by Nick Bonomo
The Connecticut Warbler was named not because it is common in Connecticut, but because its first specimen was discovered in the Nutmeg State (by Alexander Wilson, author and illustrator of the nine-volume American Ornithology, 1808-1814).

It is one of our most difficult warblers to see, but now is the time to look for this secretive species.
 
What it looks like: The Connecticut Warbler is a chunky warbler that superficially resembles a few of our more expected species. Its basic pattern is rather simple: yellow underparts, olive back, and a gray or brown hood with a bold white eye ring.

Pay attention to the structure, as this warbler is large-bodied with a short tail and long undertail coverts. It has a rather thick bill for a warbler. While most warblers hop through vegetation, this species walks along the ground or on low branches – a useful identification key!

 Beware of the following lookalikes that occur more often and in similar habitat: Common Yellowthroat (very common), Nashville Warbler (uncommon), and Mourning Warbler (scarce). Consult your trusty field guide for descriptions of those species.

When to look: The Connecticut Warbler has a very narrow migration window through the state. If you are lucky enough to see this scarce species in Connecticut, it will be from mid-September through early October, when it is migrating from breeding grounds in Canada to wintering grounds in South America. It does not occur in spring migration, when it takes a route to our west.
 
Where to find it: A very secretive species, this bird can be found below eye level in dense weeds, thickets, or small trees. It can sometimes be seen on the ground itself.

When found, it is rarely very active, often standing still in the shadows of dense vegetation. When searching, focus on field edges, hedgerows, and patches of jewelweed and ragweed – sometimes in the fields themselves.
 
Conservation status: The Connecticut Warbler is classified by the IUCN as a species of “Least Concern.” While its population appears to be decreasing overall, this decrease does not seem to be rapid, and the population size and geographic range are large.

Photo by Peter Crosson, Carolinabirds.org