"Bird of the Month" Profiles:

Blackburnian Warbler
(Dendroica fusca)

Length: 5 inches
Wingspan: 9 inches
Weight: 10 grams
Diet: Insects

The Blackburnian Warbler is primarily a nocturnal migrant. Fall and spring migration routes cover the eastern U.S., although spring migration seems to bypass the southeast coast. Migration appears to be fairly direct between the breeding grounds and the wintering grounds in the highlands of southern Central and northwestern South America, from Costa Rica to Venezuela and Peru.

Birds at the western edge of the breeding range fly east before heading south in fall. The breeding grounds are vacated by September and most birds have left the U.S. by October. Peak fall migration dates are late August in central Minnesota and early September in northern West Virginia. Most individuals fly across the Gulf of Mexico but some travel overland along the Caribbean coast of Central America and a few traverse the Caribbean. Northbound in spring, the first birds reach the Gulf Coast in late March, northern states a month later, and Canada shortly thereafter.

(Birding content courtesy of Boreal Songbird Initiative & eNature)

Range and Migration Map

Arrows represent general migration routes. The arrows do not necessarily link specific breeding and wintering grounds.

The following shade-grown varieties of COFFEE FOR THE BIRDS™ help to preserve winter habitat for this species:

• Peru
• Costa Rica