Wilson’s Warbler

The Wilson’s is one of our smallest warblers and one of only three that are predominantly yellow (Yellow and Blue-winged being the others). Unlike the other two species it lacks wing and tail markings and is easily recognized by its black cap. The latter is most prominent in males but often present to some degree in adult females. They are active birds and often flit around vegetation like kinglets.

Of the several boreal migrants (e.g., Lincoln’s Sparrow, Tennessee Warbler, etc.) that breed in northern New Hampshire, Wilson’s Warbler is certainly the least common. Although there are summer records for the White Mountains and parts of southern Coos County, your best bet by far to find this species in nesting habitat is in Pittsburg. Look for it in riparian areas dominated by willows and alders such as the edges of beaver meadows.

Unlike most of our northern warblers, Wilson’s is also widespread in Western North America, where it occurs in the Rocky Mountains and along the Pacific coast. Western subspecies average slightly larger and are brighter yellow, and on rare occasions show up in the Northeast as vagrants late in the fall. In winter they are found mainly from northern Mexico to Panama, with smaller numbers along the Gulf coast in Texas and Louisiana. During this season it is more of a habitat generalist, using everything from brushy fields to cloud forest and coastal mangroves.