North American warblers are known as wood-warblers as they can be found mainly in woodland and forests. You may also get what is known as warbler neck, which is a painful neck stiffness and tingling from looking up into the trees with your binoculars trying to spot them.
Warblers in Colorado in summer: Yellow Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow-breasted Chat, MacGillivray’s Warbler, Virginia’s Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Grace’s Warbler, Hooded Warbler, Golden-winged Warbler
Warblers in Colorado during migration: Yellow-rumped Warbler, Wilson’s Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, Townsend’s Warbler, American Redstart, Northern Waterthrush, Ovenbird, Northern Parula, Black-and-white Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Palm Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Blue-winged Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler.
29 Species of Warbler in Colorado:
1. Yellow-rumped Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warblers can be spotted during the breeding season in Colorado, but their numbers increase during migration from April to May and September to October. They are recorded in 20% of summer checklists and up to 53% of checklists during migration.
Yellow-rumped Warblers are gray with flashes of yellow on the face, sides, and rump and white in the wings. Females may be slightly brown, and winter birds are paler brown with bright yellow rumps and sides turning bright yellow and gray again in spring.
There are two subspecies, the Myrtle Warbler of the eastern US and boreal forests of Canada, which lacks the yellow throat, and Audubon’s Warbler of the west, which also has more white in the wings.
- Setophaga coronata
- Length: 4.7-5.5 in (12-14 cm)
- Weight: 0.4-0.5 oz (12-13 g)
- Wingspan: 7.5-9.1 in (19-23 cm)
Yellow-rumped Warblers breed predominantly in Canada and parts of the Rockies and the Appalachian mountains.
During migration, they can be seen in the Midwest before overwintering in southern and southwestern US states and the Pacific Coast and into Mexico and Central America.
You can find Yellow-rumped Warblers in coniferous forests, especially during the breeding season. During winter, they can be found in open areas with fruiting shrubs. In summer, they eat mostly insects and on migration, and in winter, they eat mostly fruit, including bayberry and wax myrtle.
Yellow-rumped Warbler Song:
Nests of Yellow-rumped Warblers are made by females in conifer trees from twigs, pine needles, and grass and lined with soft grass, moss, and hair. They lay up to six eggs which take around two weeks to hatch and a further two weeks to leave the nest.
Attract Yellow-rumped Warblers to your backyard with sunflower seeds, suet, raisins, and peanut butter.
Fun Fact: Yellow-rumped Warblers form flocks numbering thousands in the winter, and they can be aggressive to any other species getting too close.
2. Yellow Warbler
Yellow Warblers spend the breeding season in Colorado and are mainly spotted from May to September. They occur in up to 24% of summer checklists submitted by bird watchers for the state.
Yellow Warblers are small bright yellow birds with a yellow-green back, and the males have chestnut streaks on the breast. Females and juveniles are not as bright as males and lack the streaks.
- Setophaga petechia
- Length: 4.7-5.1 in (12-13 cm)
- Weight: 0.3-0.4 oz (9-11 g)
- Wingspan: 6.3-7.9 in (16-20 cm)
Yellow Warblers migrate a long distance to breed in Canada and the US, except for southeastern states, before heading back into Central and South America for winter. However, they can be seen during migration in southeastern US states.
You can find Yellow Warblers along streams and wetlands in thickets and along the edges of fields foraging for insects, including caterpillars, midges, beetles, bugs, and wasps.
Yellow Warbler Song:
Nests of Yellow Warblers are in small trees or shrubs and made from bark, grass, and plant material woven together and secured with spider webs to form a cup. It is then lined with softer material such as hair, feathers, and plant down.
They lay up to seven eggs which take around twelve days to hatch and an additional ten days for the young to leave the nest.
Attract Yellow Warblers to your backyard with suet, oranges, peanut butter, and plants with berries. Also, plant native plants that attract insects without pesticides or being too tidy! Also, try birdbaths with fountains near secluded planting to provide protection.
Fun Fact: Cowbirds often lay their eggs in Yellow Warblers’ nests, and if detected, the Yellow Warblers build a new nest on top of the old nest and eggs and start again – up to six times!
3. Wilson’s Warbler
Wilson’s Warblers spend the breeding season in Colorado, but they are more often spotted during fall migration. They can be seen here from May to October but are mainly spotted in September. They appear in 3% of summer checklists but up to 31% of checklists during the fall migration.
Wilson’s Warblers are tiny round yellow warblers with a large black cap in the males and a smaller black cap in females.
- Cardellina pusilla
- Length: 3.9-4.7 in (10-12 cm)
- Weight: 0.2-0.3 oz (5-10 g)
- Wingspan: 5.5-6.7 in (14-17 cm)
Wilson’s Warblers breed in Canada, Alaska, and northwestern US states but can also be seen across all US states during migration. They winter in Mexico and Central America.
You can find Wilson’s Warblers along streams in thickets and near forest edges foraging for insects and their larvae and spiders.
Wilson’s Warblers song:
Nests of Wilson’s Warblers are well hidden on the ground near trees or shrubs and made from leaves and sedges for the base. Grass, bark, moss, and plant material are woven into a cup shape and lined with soft grass and animal hair. They lay around five eggs which take about eleven days to hatch and an additional ten days for the young to leave the nest.
Attract Wilson’s Warblers to your backyard with native trees and shrubs, but they do not visit feeders.
Fun Fact: Wilson’s Warblers distract potential nest predators by pretending to have a broken wing and drawing the predator away before flying off.
4. Common Yellowthroat
Common Yellowthroats are in Colorado during the breeding season, from May to September. They appear in 7% of summer checklists.
Common Yellowthroats are small songbirds that are brownish on the back and bright yellow underneath, with long tails. The males have a black masks across their faces. The brightness of the yellow can vary geographically, and they may be more olive in parts underneath.
- Geothlypis trichas
- Length: 4.3-5.1 in (11-13 cm)
- Weight: 0.3-0.3 oz (9-10 g)
- Wingspan: 5.9-7.5 in (15-19 cm)
Common Yellowthroats spend the summer breeding over most of North America, except Alaska and northern Canada. Some remain all year along the Gulf Coast and Pacific Southwest. Then, they migrate south for winter.
You can find Common Yellowthroats often in marshy or wetland areas and brushy fields living in thick, tangled vegetation.
Common Yellowthroat Song:
Nests of Common Yellowthroats are built by females near the ground in marshy areas and supported by reeds. The nest is made from grass and sedges supported on a platform of leaves and grass. They lay up to six eggs which take around twelve days to hatch and the same for the young to leave the nest.
Attract Common Yellowthroats to large backyards with dense vegetation and native plants to attract insects.
Fun Fact: The black mask of Common Yellowthroats is a sign to courting males that that bird is male, and they attack when fake birds are used, but they do not attack when the bird has no mask.
5. Orange-crowned Warbler
Orange-crowned Warblers spend the breeding season in Colorado, but they are more often spotted here during migration. They are recorded in 4% of summer checklists and up to 14% of checklists during migration.
Orange-crowned Warblers are not as brightly colored as other warblers with their yellow-olive coloring, which is more yellow on the Pacific Coast. Their orange crown is rarely seen. Males and females look the same, but juveniles are grayer.
- Leiothlypis celata
- Length: 4.3-5.5 in (11-14 cm)
- Weight: 0.3-0.4 oz (7-11 g)
- Wingspan: 7.5 in (19 cm)
Orange-crowned Warblers breed in Canada and western US states before migrating to the Pacific, East and Gulf Coasts, and Mexico. They can also be seen during migration in all US states, except the northeastern.
You can find Orange-crowned Warblers in shrubs and low vegetation, but they breed in open woodland. Their diet consists mainly of spiders and insects such as caterpillars and flies. They will also eat fruit, berries, and seeds and regularly visit backyard feeders.
Orange-crowned Warbler Song:
Nests of Orange-crowned Warblers are near to or on the ground and made from dead leaves, twigs, and stems and then lined with soft grass and animal hair. They lay up to six eggs.
Attract Orange-crowned Warblers to your yard with suet and peanut butter or hummingbird feeders filled with sugar water nectar.
Fun Fact: Orange-crowned Warblers will drink from the sapwells of sapsuckers and woodpeckers.
6. Yellow-breasted Chat
Yellow-breasted Chats are spotted in Colorado during the breeding season and occur in 6% of summer checklists. They arrive in April and start to migrate in September.
Yellow-breasted Chats have bright yellow breasts and long tails. They are olive-gray on the back and have gray heads with white eye and chin markings. Their lower bellies are white.
- Icteria virens
- Length: 7.1 in (18 cm)
- Weight: 0.8-1.1 oz (23-31 g)
- Wingspan: 9.8 in (25 cm)
Yellow-breasted Chats breed over most US states and just into southern Canada. They spend the winter in Central America and coastal Mexico.
You can spot Yellow-breasted Chats in blackberry bushes, fields, and forest edges feeding on spiders, insects, and berries.
Yellow-breasted Chat song:
Nests of Yellow-breasted Chats are hidden in shrubs and made from grass, leaves, and plant material woven into a cup. Brown-headed Cowbirds often lay their eggs in their nests to raise their chicks.
They lay up to six eggs which take about eleven days to hatch, and up to ten days for the young to leave the nest.
Fun Fact: Male Yellow-breasted Chats fight by grappling with their feet, and they also make a dramatic flight display while singing and dropping towards the ground, finishing with a thump of their wings.
7. MacGillivray’s Warbler
MacGillivray’s Warblers are spotted in Colorado during summer, from April to October, and appear in 3% of checklists at this time.
MacGillivray’s Warblers are small but chunky birds. Males have slate gray heads, black bands across the eyes, and grayish spots that darken to black from under the bill to the throat. Females have a light-gray head and throat, with no black markings. They both have olive-gray backs, yellow bellies, and white, crescent-shaped partial eyerings.
- Geothlypis tolmiei
- Length:5.25 inches (13 cm)
- Weight: 0.4 oz (11 g)
- Wingspan: 8.25 inches (21 cm)
MacGillivray’s Warblers breed mainly in northwestern US states and western Canada before migrating to Mexico and Central America.
You can find MacGillivray’s Warblers in areas with dense shrubbery or vegetation. They also abound in shady thickets near streams, in logged forests with fallen trees, or in burned areas with dead trees.
MacGillivray’s Warblers spend their time foraging on the ground, either hopping or flying low, in search of insects, like beetles and caterpillars.
MacGillivray’s Warblers’ song:
Nests of MacGillivray’s Warblers are concealed in thick shrubs, around one to five feet above the ground. They are placed in upright forks of scrub oaks or fir saplings. There are also some nests that are placed on the ground within tall weeds and ferns.
They are usually constructed out of weed stems, barks, and dry grass. The female lays three to six eggs which she alone incubates for about eleven days.
Fun Fact: MacGillivray’s Warblers were named after Dr. W. MacGillivray, who was a friend of John James Audubon. However, John Kirk Townsend had already given the species a name, “Tolmie’s Warbler”, in honor of Dr. W. T. Tolmie. Thus, the scientific name “tolmiei” was the compromise.
8. Virginia’s Warbler
Virginia’s Warblers spend the breeding season in Colorado and occur in 3% of summer checklists. They are spotted mainly from April to mid-October.
Virginia’s Warblers are very small and easily overlooked birds, but they have really striking colors. Males and females are pretty similar in coloring. They both have gray heads, backs, and bellies. Their heads have a reddish patch on the crown.
They seem to look like they’re always surprised because of their dark eyes with white eyering. Their throats are white, their chests and rumps are yellow, and their bellies are gray. Their wings and tail are black.
Females may have less brilliant crowns compared to males. Juveniles are paler in color, and they don’t have the reddish crown common to adults.
- Leiothlypis virginiae
- Length: 4.5 – 4.75 inches (11 – 12 cm)
- Weight: 0.3 oz (9 g)
- Wingspan: 7.25 – 7.75 inches (18 – 20 cm)
Virginia’s Warblers are found in southwestern US states and are not found in Virginia as their name comes from the person who discovered them – Virginia Anderson.
You can find Virginia’s Warblers in pinyon-juniper brushlands, pine and oak woodlands, and woodlands near streams. In winter, they live among dry scrub.
These Virginia Warblers are so small that it’s difficult to observe them, so not much is known about their diet. They have been observed to hop from branch to branch among the trees at mid-level, and they’re presumed to eat insects like other warblers.
Virginia Warblers’ song:
Nests are located on the ground and are pretty hard to find. They’re well-concealed among dead leaves at the bottom of a shrub or tree. The female probably built it from coarse grass, bark strips, roots, and moss. The female lays around three to five eggs and most likely incubates them on her own.
Fun Fact: Because of their size, Virginia’s Warblers are hard to see, but you just might catch them because they frequently wag their tail up and down while they’re on branches of pine and oak trees.
9. Townsend’s Warbler
Townsend’s Warblers are spotted in Colorado during the fall migration from August to November and are recorded in up to 5% of checklists at this time.
Townsend’s Warblers are small black and yellow birds. Males are striking with their black crowns, cheeks, and throats. They also have yellow eyebrows, a yellow crescent under the eye, and yellow bellies. They have black spots on their yellow upper backs. They have black wings with two white wingbars. Their bellies are white.
Female Townsend’s Warblers are lighter in color but with almost the same patterns. However, females don’t have the distinctive black throat that males do. Juveniles are even lighter in color. Their backs, crowns, and cheeks are olive-green. They also do not have the black throat of the males, but they do have the streaks on the chest, just light-colored.
- Setophaga townsendi
- Length: 4.75 – 5 inches (12 – 13 cm)
- Weight: 0.3 oz (9 g)
- Wingspan: 7.5 – 8 inches (19 – 20 cm)
Townsend’s Warblers breed in western Canada, northwestern US states, and Alaska before migrating to the Pacific Coast, Mexico, and Central America.
You can find Townsend’s Warblers in tall and dense coniferous forests in the coastal belt and in the mountains. They prefer areas with pine, oak, alder, madrones, and laurels.
Townsend’s Warblers, with their partiality to high and tall trees, naturally forage in them, too. They search among twigs and branches for insects like caterpillars, bugs, beetles, and leafhoppers. They will also hover among foliage just to get their food.
In winter, Townsend’s Warblers are known to feed on the sugary excretions of scale insects. They will actually set up and defend their territory around these insects.
Townsend’s Warblers’ song:
Nests of Townsend’s Warblers are also located high up in the trees, usually placed on top of a branch. They are made of grass stems, mosses, and barks and lined with feathers and animal hair.
Attract Townsend’s Warblers to your backyard in the winter by preparing mealworms, peanut butter, and suet. They usually drop by backyard feeders when temperatures get too cold.
Fun Fact: The Townsend’s Warbler got its name from American ornithologist John Kirk Townsend.
10. Black-throated Gray Warbler
Black-throated Gray Warblers spend the breeding season in Colorado, mainly from April to September, and are recorded in 1% of summer checklists.
Black-throated Gray Warblers are black-and-white streaked warblers with a gray back and yellow spot in front of the eyes. Males have more black on their throats than females.
- Setophaga nigrescens
- Length: 4.3-5.1 in (11-13 cm)
- Weight: 0.3-0.3 oz (7-10 g)
- Wingspan: 7.5-7.8 in (19-19.7 cm)
Black-throated Gray Warblers breed in western and south-central US states and the coast of British Columbia before migrating to Mexico for winter.
You can find Black-throated Gray Warblers searching for insects on trees in woodlands and on shrubs.
Black-throated Gray Warblers song:
Nests of Black-throated Gray Warblers are in trees and made by the female from bark, grass, and moss. They lay up to five eggs.
Fun Fact: Although Black-throated Gray Warblers are easy to observe, can be found at lower levels in trees, and are not shy birds, very little is known about them.
11. American Redstart
American Redstarts are spotted during migration, mostly in eastern Colorado in May and September.
American Redstarts are mostly black with bright orange patches and a white belly. Females are olive-gray instead of black and have yellow patches.
- Setophaga ruticilla
- Length: 4.3-5.1 in (11-13 cm)
- Weight: 0.2-0.3 oz (6-9 g)
- Wingspan: 6.3-7.5 in (16-19 cm)
American Redstarts breed in eastern US states and Canada and into northwestern US states. They may also be seen during migration in central and western US states.
You can find American Redstarts in deciduous woodlands eating insects and also in backyards and thickets eating berries such as serviceberry and magnolia.
American Redstart song: Their song drops in pitch at the end.
Nests of American Redstarts are close to the trunk in trees or large shrubs and are made from bark, grass, and other plant material. They lay up to five eggs which take just under two weeks to hatch and a week or two for the young to leave the nest.
Attract American Redstarts to your backyard with berry plants such as magnolia and serviceberry.
Fun Fact: American Redstart parents only feed certain chicks each rather than feeding them all.
12. Northern Waterthrush
Northern Waterthrushes can be seen in Colorado during migration, mostly in the east of the state.
Northern Waterthrushes are large, thrush-like birds whose males and females bear similar traits. They both have brown heads with thick, white eyebrows, dark brown backs, and white bellies with dark, heavy streaking from their throats all the way to their rumps.
- Parkesia noveboracensis
- Length: 5.75 inches (15 cm)
- Weight: 0.8 oz (23 g)
- Wingspan: 8.75 inches (22 cm)
Northern Waterthrushes breed in Canada, Alaska, and northeastern US states before migrating to Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. Some may remain all year in Central and South America.
You can find Northern Waterthrushes in dark, woody swamps, thickets, and bogs. If there is any still or sluggish water in the forests, you’ll probably find a Northern Waterthrush around it. In winter, you will usually find them among mangroves in the tropics.
The Northern Waterthrushes are aquatic and terrestrial foragers. With their long legs, they are able to walk on shallow water in search of water beetles, mosquitoes, slugs, crustaceans, snails, and sometimes, small fish. They also eat caterpillars, moths, and ants, which they find under leaves.
Northern Waterthrushes’ song:
Nests of Northern Waterthrushes are usually located in hollows or crevices near water. They can be in a moss-covered stump or under a jutting bank, but the nests are usually hidden among ferns. Females build them from moss, twigs, pine needles, bark strips, and roots, where she lays three to six eggs. She alone incubates the eggs for about two weeks.
Fun Fact: Northern Waterthrushes usually walk on the ground rather than hop. When walking, they bob their tails, making them appear out of balance.
13. Ovenbird
Ovenbirds are spotted in Colorado, mainly in the central and east of the state during migration.
Ovenbirds look drab compared to other warblers with their olive-green backs and black-and-white spotted underside.
- Seiurus aurocapilla
- Length: 4.3-5.5 in (11-14 cm)
- Weight: 0.6-1.0 oz (16-28 g)
- Wingspan: 7.5-10.2 in (19-26 cm)
Ovenbirds breed in northeastern US states and Canada, the Midwest, and up into northwest Canada. They can be seen during migration in eastern US states. They spend the winter in Florida, Mexico, Central America, northern South America, and the Caribbean.
You can find Ovenbirds on the ground rummaging through leaf litter in forests, looking for insects.
Ovenbird Song:
Nests of Ovenbirds are usually on the ground, and the female creates a domed nest from leaves, grass, bark, and other plant material. The nest has a side entrance and is lined with animal hair. They lay around five eggs which take up to two weeks to hatch and up to ten days for the young to leave the nest.
Fun Fact: Ovenbirds get their name from the unusually shaped nest they build, which resembles the shape of a dutch oven.
14. Northern Parula
Northern Parulas are not very common in Colorado, but they have been spotted in the east of the state during migration.
Northern Warblers are a colorful contrast of blueish-gray and yellow. They are bluish-gray on the back with a yellow patch on the back and with two white wingbars.
Males have a chestnut band that separates the yellow throat and chest that adorns both males and females. Females are paler than males and lack the chestnut band. Juveniles are paler.
- Setophaga americana
- Length: 4.3-4.7 in (11-12 cm)
- Weight: 0.2-0.4 oz (5-11 g)
- Wingspan: 6.3-7.1 in (16-18 cm)
Northern Parulas breed in the eastern US states and southeastern Canada before heading to Central America and the Caribbean for winter. They may remain for winter in southern Florida.
You can find Northern Parulas feeding on insects high up in deciduous forests.
Northern Parula Song:
Nests of Northern Parula are made in long clumps of lichen and moss that drape from the branches. The best way to spot them is by looking up at large clumps of hanging moss in the summer.
Attract Northern Parula to your backyard with native trees and shrubs, especially those with berries, and leave brush piles for insect-friendly areas.
Fun Fact: Northern Parula females do the rearing of young, including incubation of the eggs and feeding them. Males sing and remove fecal sacs!
15. Black-and-white Warbler
Black-and-white Warblers are not very common in Colorado, but they have been spotted in the east of the state during migration, especially in May and September.
Black-and-white Warblers are quite distinctive and so more easy to identify with their stiped appearance. Males have a large black patch across the eye and cheek and are a darker black than females.
- Mniotilta varia
- Length: 4.3-5.1 in (11-13 cm)
- Weight: 0.3-0.5 oz (8-15 g)
- Wingspan: 7.1-8.7 in (18-22 cm)
Black-and-white Warblers breed in the eastern United States and Canada. They spend the winter in Florida, along the Gulf Coast, and down through Mexico, Baja California, the Caribbean, and northern South America. They can be seen during migration in central US states.
You can spot Black-and-white Warblers hopping up and down on tree trunks and branches in forests, looking for insects.
Black-and-white Warbler song:
Nests of Black-and-white Warblers are hidden close to or on the ground, often under a log or shrub. The nest is made from bark, grass, and pine needles woven into a cup. They lay around five eggs which take about eleven days to hatch and an additional ten days for the young to leave the nest.
16. Nashville Warbler
Nashville Warblers can be spotted in Colorado during spring and fall migration in May and from September to October.
Nashville Warblers are mostly yellow with a green back and gray head with a white eyering. Females and juveniles are not as bright as males. They have distinctive white bellies between yellow breasts and under their tails.
- Leiothlypis ruficapilla
- Length: 4.3-5.1 in (11-13 cm)
- Weight: 0.2-0.5 oz (6.7-13.9 g)
- Wingspan: 6.7-7.9 in (17-20 cm)
Nashville Warblers breed in northeastern US states and Canada and a smaller population in northwestern US states and into British Columbia. They can also be seen during migration in most states.
You can find Nashville Warbler in scrubby habitats and low deciduous forests, hunting for insects.
Nashville Warbler song:
Nests of Nashville Warblers are close to the ground and made from bark, moss, and grass woven into a cup and lined with pine needles, soft grass, and animal hair. They lay around five eggs which take twelve days to hatch and an additional ten days for the young to leave the nest.
Attract Nashville Warblers to your backyard in winter to southern US states with suet.
Fun Fact: The first time Nashville Warblers migrate, they go along the Atlantic Coast, but after that, they always go inland.
17. Blackpoll Warbler
Blackpoll Warblers are near-threatened species in Colorado and can be spotted mainly in the east of the state during the spring migration in May.
Blackpoll Warblers males are streaked black-and-white with a black cap and white cheeks. Females are also black-and-white but without a black cap and white cheeks.
They look very different in late summer and molt into yellow with darker streaking on the back.
- Setophaga striata
- Length: 5.5 in (14 cm)
- Weight: 0.4-0.5 oz (12-13 g)
- Wingspan: 8.3-9.1 in (21-23 cm)
Blackpoll Warblers breed in Canada and can be seen during spring migration in the eastern United States. In fall, they migrate to their winter grounds in South America and the Caribbean.
You can find Blackpoll Warblers in forests feeding mostly on spiders and insects, but they will also eat fruit such as honeysuckle and pokeberry in the fall.
Blackpoll Warbler song:
Nests of Blackpoll Warblers are usually near the trunks of fir trees and made from twigs and lichen by the female. They lay up to five eggs which take around twelve days to hatch and ten days for the young to leave the nest.
Fun Fact: Blackpoll Warblers fly non-stop over the Atlantic Ocean in fall from their breeding grounds to South America. However, in spring, they stop in the Caribbean and fly over the land.
18. Grace’s Warbler
Although not very common here, Grace’s Warblers can be spotted in Colorado during summer, from April to September, mainly in the southwest of the state.
Adult Grace’s Warblers look very similar. They both have dark gray crowns and a white patch at the end of their yellow eyebrow, a little bit at the back of the eye. Their back is also dark gray, and they have bright yellow throats and breasts. They both have white bellies with black broken streaks on their sides, and they have two obvious white wing bars.
Their main, though less obvious difference, is in the outline of their eyering. They both have yellow eyerings, but a female’s outline is gray, while the male’s is black, and you can see it on the bottom half of the eye.
- Setophaga graciae
- Length: 4.75 inches (12 cm)
- Weight: 0.3 oz (9 g)
- Wingspan: 7.75 inches (20 cm)
Grace’s Warblers migrate in to breed in southwestern US states, but they stay all year in Mexico and Central America.
You can find Grace’s Warblers in habitats with mature coniferous trees, particularly pine, oak, and spruce-fir forests.
Grace’s Warblers prefer to stay safe at the tops of the trees because it’s where they can hop from branch to branch among trees or hide among the pine needles. They also spend their time catching insects from this height or foraging among the leaves for the insects hiding underneath them.
Grace’s Warblers’ song:
Nests of Grace’s Warblers are also found in the pine trees. They’re made of leaves, stems, and cocoon materials, and with fur and feathers to make them soft on the inside. Usually, they’re cradled on a high tree branch. Females lay three to five eggs with an incubation period of eleven to twelve days.
Fun Fact: The Grace’s Warblers got its name from Grace Darling Coues, the sister of ornithologist Elliott Coues.
19. Chestnut-sided Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warblers are not very common in Colorado, but they are spotted in the central and east of the state during migration.
Chestnut-sided Warbler males have bright yellow crowns and black masks and are gray underneath with chestnut down the sides. In winter, males molt into green and white coloring and look similar to breeding females.
Females are paler than males and do not have black on their faces. They still have the chestnut sides and yellow crown during the breeding season, but in winter, they lack the chestnut sides, and the crown is brighter. Juveniles are similar to winter females.
- Setophaga pensylvanica
- Length: 4.7-5.5 in (12-14 cm)
- Weight: 0.4-0.5 oz (10.7-14.3 g)
- Wingspan: 7.5-8.3 in (19-21 cm)
Chestnut-sided Warblers breed in northeastern US states and southeastern Canada and can also be seen during migration over eastern US states.
You can find Chestnut-sided Warblers on forest edges or thickets, mainly looking for insects. They especially like forests that have been damaged and are regenerating after fires, logging, or floods.
Chestnut-sided Warbler song:
Nests of Chestnut-sided Warblers are low to the ground in trees and shrubs and made from grass, weeds, and bark woven into a cup shape and lined with softer material. They lay up to five eggs which take twelve days to hatch and around eleven days for the young to leave the nest.
Fun Fact: Chestnut-sided Warblers only like forests regenerating forests, and once they are restored after about ten years, they find other forests to breed in.
20. Palm Warbler
Palm Warblers are not often seen in Colorado, but you might get lucky and spot them in the east of the state during migration in May and October.
The palm warbler has a rusty red patch on the top of its head and is a browny-olive color over the rest of its body. Birds in the west have whiter bellies. Males and females look the same in the breeding season, and nonbreeding birds’ crowns are duller.
- Setophaga palmarum
- Length: 4.7-5.5 in (12-14 cm)
- Weight: 0.3-0.5 oz (7-13 g)
- Wingspan: 7.9-8.3 in (20-21 cm)
Palm Warblers breed predominantly in Canada and can be seen during migration in eastern US states. Some winter in Florida and along the southeastern coast.
You can spot Palm Warblers mainly during the spring and fall migration in weedy fields, forest edges, and scrubby areas. They are often found foraging along the ground for insects, mixed in with other birds such as Sparrows, Juncos, and Yellow-rumped Warblers.
Palm Warbler song:
Nests of Palm Warblers are in bogs and boreal forests on the ground and are made from grass, sedge, and ferns woven into a cup shape and lined with soft grass, feathers, and animal hair. They lay around five eggs.
Attract Palm Warblers to your backyard by planting native plants that attract insects and also plant bayberry or hawthorn for their berries.
Fun Fact: Unlike most warblers, Palm Warblers usually walk on the ground bobbing their tails while looking for insects.
21. Tennessee Warbler
Credit: Jerry Oldenettel
Tennessee Warblers are not common in Colorado, but some have been spotted in central areas and east of the state during migration.
Tennessee Warblers males have gray heads, green backs, and are pale whitish underneath. Females are greener with yellow underneath and with green heads. Males have a white eyestripe, and females have a yellow eyestripe. They have white under their tails.
- Leiothlypis peregrina
- Length: 3.9-5.1 in (10-13 cm)
- Weight: 0.3-0.3 oz (8-10 g)
- Wingspan: 7.5-7.9 in (19-20 cm)
Tennessee Warblers fly a long way from Central America up to Canada. They can be seen during migration across eastern US states.
You can find Tennessee Warblers eating and hunting mostly for caterpillars on trees and shrubs in woodlands.
Tennessee Warblers’ song:
Nests of Tennessee Warblers are hidden in moss or the roots of trees and made from grass and weeds. They lay around six eggs which take about twelve days to hatch, and the same again for the young to leave the nest.
Fun Fact: Although called a Tenessee warbler, they do not breed or spend much time in Tenessee! They were so named as this was the first place they were spotted and were given this name.
22. Hooded Warbler
Hooded Warblers are not very common in Colorado, but they have been occasionally spotted in the east of the state during summer.
Male Hooded Warblers have a bright yellow face with a distinctive black hood and throat. They are yellow underneath and olive-green above. They are white under their tail, which is visible when they flick their tails up.
Females and immature are more yellow and without the black face markings.
- Setophaga citrina
- Length: 5.1 in (13 cm)
- Weight: 0.3-0.4 oz (9-12 g)
- Wingspan: 6.9 in (17.5 cm)
Hooded Warblers breed in eastern US states before heading south into Central America and the Caribbean for winter.
You can find Hooded Warblers in forests with dense understories to hunt for insects and spiders.
Hooded Warbler song:
Nests of Hooded Warblers are near forests and clearings and built in shrubs from bark, grass, and plant material woven into a cup. They lay around four eggs, which take twelve days to hatch and a further nine days for the young to leave the nest.
Attract Hooded Warblers to your backyard with native shrubs and plants that attract insects and provide protection.
Fun Fact: Hooded Warblers have white spots on their tails which is thought to startle insects so they can catch them more easily.
23. Magnolia Warbler
Although not often seen here, Magnolia Warblers are occasionally spotted in Colorado during migration.
Magnolia Warblers males are black on the back and yellow underneath. They have black streaking forming a ‘necklace’ on their necks and down over their bellies. Females are grayer on the back and lack the distinctive streaking down the belly.
- Setophaga magnolia
- Length: 4.3-5.1 in (11-13 cm)
- Weight: 0.2-0.5 oz (6-15 g)
- Wingspan: 6.3-7.9 in (16-20 cm)
Magnolia Warblers breed across Canada and northeastern US states. They can be seen during migration in the eastern US. They spend the winter in Central America and the Caribbean.
You can find Magnolia Warblers on low branches in forests or parks, so it’s easier to spot them during migration. Their diet is insects and spiders.
Magnolia Warbler song:
Nests of Magnolia Warblers are a loose construction of grass and weeds built close to the trunk of conifer trees. They lay around four eggs that take about twelve days to hatch and a further nine days for the young to leave the nest.
Attract Magnolia Warblers to your backyard with native shrubs and trees for them to rest in during migration.
Fun Fact: Magnolia Warblers show off the white spots on their tails to attract females and to warn off rivals.
24. Black-throated Blue Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warblers are not often seen in Colorado, but some have occasionally been spotted during migration in the central and east of the state.
Male Black-throated Blue Warblers are a lovely rich blue color on the back and white underneath. They are unusual amongst the predominantly yellow warblers. Females are very plain in comparison and are grayish-olive.
- Setophaga caerulescens
- Length: 4.3-5.1 in (11-13 cm)
- Weight: 0.3-0.4 oz (8-12 g)
- Wingspan: 7.5-7.9 in (19-20 cm)
Black-throated Blue Warblers breed in northeastern US states and Canada. They can also be seen during migration over eastern US states before wintering in Central America and the Caribbean.
You can find Black-throated Blue Warblers in lower areas of deciduous forests, shrubby areas, and sometimes backyards looking for spiders, flies, and caterpillars.
Black-throated Blue Warblers song:
Nests of Black-throated Blue Warblers are hidden in dense shrubs and made from bark held together with spiders’ webs and saliva. The nest is lined with animal hair and pine needles. They lay up to five eggs which take about two weeks to hatch and ten days for the young to leave the nest.
Fun Fact: Black-throated Blue Warblers listen out for males singing after the breeding season as this shows areas where males were successful as unsuccessful males do not sing.
25. Blue-winged Warbler
Blue-winged Warblers are not often spotted in Colorado, but you might see a few of them during migration.
Blue-winged Warblers are named for the bluish-gray color of their wings. Adults are yellow-green on top, with a black eye line extending from their long bill across the eye, making them look angry.
Their breast and belly are mostly bright yellow, with females having a slightly paler shade but, more often, indistinguishable from the males. Adults have two white wing bars while juveniles have them too, but they’re so thin, they’re almost invisible.
- Vermivora cyanoptera
- Length: 4.75 inches (12 cm)
- Weight: 0.3 oz (9 g)
- Wingspan: 6.75 – 7.5 inches (17 – 19 cm)
Blue-winged Warblers breed in the midwest and central US states and can be seen during migration in southern states on their way to wintering grounds in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.
You can find Blue-winged warblers in abandoned, brushy fields and pastures, forest edges, and thickets. They usually settle in higher elevation areas with a lot of grass and canopy cover.
Blue-winged Warblers favor insects and spiders they find in various plants and trees. They will even hang upside down from tree branches to check under leaves for insect larvae to feed their young.
Blue-winged Warblers’ song:
Nests of Blue-winged Warblers are often found on the ground, in thick bushes, or in the undergrowth. Nests are cup-shaped and made of dead leaves. The female lays four to seven eggs and takes about 12 days to incubate.
Fun Fact: Blue-winged Warblers often hybridize with Golden-winged Warblers to produce Brewster’s and Lawrence’s Warblers.
26. Golden-winged Warbler
Golden-winged Warblers are near-threatened species in Colorado, but you might spot some in the east of the state during summer.
Golden-winged Warblers are small, striking, and attractive birds. Males have a yellow crown, black bill and throat, a black mask that extends from the bill to behind the eyes, and a white head. Their bodies are whitish-gray overall, with no patterns. They have yellow wing patches.
Female Gold-winged-warblers are similarly patterned, except that they have a duller coloring. Instead of white heads, like the males, theirs are grayish. Even their eye masks are gray instead of black. Juvenile males, though, have white heads like adult males, but they share a dull color with females.
- Vermivora chrysoptera
- Length: 4.75 – 5 inches (12 – 13 cm)
- Weight: 0.3 oz (9 g)
- Wingspan: 7.75 – 8.25 inches (20 – 21 cm)
Golden-winged Warblers breed in the Midwest and east to the Atlantic Coast. They can be seen migrating across eastern US states to Mexico, Central, and South America.
You can find Golden-winged Warblers in “early successional habitats”, like abandoned fields and pastures. Scrubby, shrubby areas of evergreen forests are also breeding grounds for them.
Golden-winged Warblers tend to forage in hanging dead leaves that are common in regenerating forest communities. They feed on insects, spiders, and caterpillars they find under dead leaves and may sometimes hang upside down from branches to feast on larvae or pupae.
Golden-winged Warblers’ song:
Nests of Gold-winged Warblers are often concealed low in a bush or in a concealed cup nest on the ground. Sometimes, they may also be hidden near the base of a tree. Females make the nests using bark and grass and then line them with animal fur. Females lay four to seven eggs, incubating them for about ten days.
Fun Fact: Golden-winged Warbler parents use decoy feeding grounds to protect their young by confusing humans.
27. Prothonotary Warbler
Although not often spotted in Colorado, Prothonotary Warblers have a few recorded sightings in the east of the state during migration.
Prothonotary Warblers are bright yellow with blue-gray wings and tails. They are large for Warblers and have thick black beaks, and are white under their tails. Females are less bright than males.
- Protonotaria citrea
- Length: 5.1 in (13 cm)
- Weight: 0.44 oz (12.5 g)
- Wingspan: 8.75 in (22 cm)
Prothonotary Warblers breed in eastern US states, and they spend the winter in Mexico and down to northern South America.
You can find Prothonotary Warblers near streams and wet woodlands foraging for spiders, insects, and snails. In winter, they will also eat fruit and seeds.
Prothonotary Warblers song:
Nests of Prothonotary Warblers use abandoned woodpecker nest holes in trees that are near water. Males place moss in the hole, and then the female makes a cup-shaped nest from grass and leaves, and other plant material.
They lay up to seven eggs which take about two weeks to hatch and an additional ten days for the young to leave the nest.
Attract Prothonotary Warblers to your backyard with a nest box if you live near wet areas.
Fun Fact: Prothonotaries are the bright yellow robes worn by members of the Roman Catholic church, and that is how the Prothonotary Warblers got their name.
28. Black-throated Green Warbler
Black-throated Green Warblers are not often seen in Colorado, but a few of them have been spotted in the east of the state during migration.
Black-throated Green Warblers are small yellow songbirds with a yellow face and head and olive-yellow back. They have black streaking on the sides and wings and are whitish underneath. Males have large black patches on their throats, but on females and juveniles, this is smaller.
- Setophaga virens
- Length: 4.3-4.7 in (11-12 cm)
- Weight: 0.3-0.4 oz (7-11 g)
- Wingspan: 6.7-7.9 in (17-20 cm)
Black-throated Green Warblers can mostly be seen during their long migration over the eastern US up to their breeding grounds in northeastern US states and Canada. Their winter grounds are in Mexico, northern South America, and the Caribbean.
You can find Black-throated Green Warblers high up in forests eating insects, and their black throat is an easier way to tell them apart from other small yellow birds.
Black-throated Green Warblers song:
Nests of Black-throated Green Warblers are in small trees and close to the truck. The nest is made from twigs and bark woven together with spiders’ webs and lined with animal hair, moss, and feathers. They lay around four eggs, which take twelve days to hatch and a further ten days for the young to leave the nest.
Attract Black-throated Green Warblers to your backyard with mature trees.
Fun Fact: Male Black-throated Green Warblers can sing over 400 times in an hour and perform a ‘gloating’ flight when they have chased off rivals.
29. Worm-eating Warbler
Credit: Andrew Weitzel
Worm-eating Warblers are not often seen in Colorado, but you might get to spot some migrating across the east of the state.
Worm-eating Warblers are pretty dull in comparison to most warblers. They are greenish-gray in color but with buffy-yellow heads with distinctive black stripes through the eye and crown.
- Helmitheros vermivorum
- Length: 4.4-5.2 in (11.2-13.1 cm)
- Weight: 0.4-0.5 oz (12-14 g)
- Wingspan: 7.9-8.7 in (20-22 cm)
Worm-eating Warblers have a smaller territory than many warblers and breed in eastern US states. They can also be seen during migration in the southeast and coastal areas.
You can find Worm-eating warblers in forests, often near the ground, feeding on caterpillars rather than worms.
Worm-eating warblers’ song:
Nests of Worm-eating Warblers are made from dried leaves and moss and placed on the ground near shrubs. They lay around five eggs, which take around fifteen days to hatch and another ten days for the young to leave the nest.
Fun Fact: Worm-eating Warblers return to the exact same location in summer and winter every year.
How Frequently Warblers Are Spotted In Colorado In Summer And Winter
Checklists are a great resource to find out which birds are commonly spotted in your state. These lists show which warblers are most frequently recorded on checklists on ebird in summer and winter in Colorado.
Warblers in Colorado in summer:
Yellow Warbler 24.9%
Yellow-rumped Warbler 21.5%
Common Yellowthroat 7.7%
Yellow-breasted Chat 6.2%
Orange-crowned Warbler 4.2%
Wilson’s Warbler 3.8%
MacGillivray’s Warbler 3.7%
Virginia’s Warbler 3.1%
Black-throated Gray Warbler 1.0%
Northern Waterthrush 0.9%
American Redstart 0.8%
Ovenbird 0.8%
Blackpoll Warbler 0.3%
Grace’s Warbler 0.3%
Northern Parula 0.3%
Black-and-white Warbler 0.3%
Chestnut-sided Warbler 0.2%
Tennessee Warbler 0.2%
Hooded Warbler 0.1%
Nashville Warbler 0.1%
Magnolia Warbler 0.1%
Palm Warbler 0.1%
Blue-winged Warbler 0.1%
Golden-winged Warbler 0.1%
Townsend’s Warbler 0.1%
Black-throated Blue Warbler 0.1%
Worm-eating Warbler <0.1%
Prothonotary Warbler <0.1%
Black-throated Green Warbler <0.1%
Warblers in Colorado in winter:
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1.4%
Palm Warbler 0.1%
Black-and-white Warbler 0.1%
Common Yellowthroat <0.1%
Northern Parula <0.1%
Northern Waterthrush <0.1%
Chestnut-sided Warbler <0.1%
Ovenbird <0.1%
Yellow Warbler <0.1%
Wilson’s Warbler <0.1%
Magnolia Warbler <0.1%
Orange-crowned Warbler <0.1%
American Redstart <0.1%
Prothonotary Warbler <0.1%
Black-throated Blue Warbler <0.1%
Worm-eating Warbler <0.1%
Black-throated Green Warbler <0.1%
Yellow-breasted Chat <0.1%
MacGillivray’s Warbler <0.1%
Townsend’s Warbler <0.1%
Tennessee Warbler <0.1%
Nashville Warbler <0.1%
How To Attract Warblers To Your Backyard
Warblers are not as common as other songbirds to backyard feeders, but there are ways you can attract these melodious songbirds to your yard:
- Provide trees if your yard is big enough
- Leave brush piles and don’t be too tidy to ensure an insect friend habitat
- Don’t use pesticides or herbicides to ensure insects are available and birds do not consume any
- Provide a clean water source
- Offer mealworms, preferably live ones but dried if not
- Provide bird feeders with sunflower seeds, peanut hearts, and suet
What Do Warblers Sound Like?
You will often hear warblers before you see them, and if you get to know a few of their songs, then it will be easier to identify the bird you see. Luckily some warblers’ songs sound more distinctive than others.
Warblers’ songs can be described as buzzy, clear, or a trill and they may rise in pitch or fall, and they have several different sounds going on. A buzzy note sounds insect-like, a clear note is like a whistle, and a trill is so fast you can’t hear the individual notes.
For all of the warblers in this guide, you can hear their song, but you can check out this guide to 13 easy to recognize warbler songs to help.
Warblers with Buzzy songs:
- Black-throated Blue Warblers’ song rises and is buzzy
- Prairie Warblers’ songs are also buzzy and rising
- Black-throated Green Warblers’ songs are also buzzy, but with a couple of clear notes in the middle
- Blackpoll warblers’ songs are clear and steady but sound like the buzz of an insect
- Prairie Warblers’ song is buzzy and rises in pitch
- Palm Warblers’ song is buzzy
Warblers with songs with clear notes:
- Common Yellowthroats’ song is made up of a series of notes that rise and fall and is then repeated
- Ovenbirds sing a series of notes that rise and fall
- Hooded Warblers also have clear notes
- Chestnut-sided Warblers’ song is a series of clear falling notes that speeds up at the end
- Yellow-rumped Warblers make a series of clear notes that fades out at the end
- Yellow Warblers’ song speeds up
- Northern Parulas have a rising trill that ends with a different note, almost like a period to stop
- Wilson’s Warblers’ song is a series of clear falling notes that speed up
