Prairie Warbler

Dendroica discolor 
Warbler family (Parulidae)

Small warbler, 4” long. Wags or pumps tail. Yellow face with black line through eye, yellow patch below eye bordered by black, yellow underparts, black streaks on sides, olive green back with chestnut streaks, two white or yellowish wing bars.

Habitat:
Not found in prairies but in open shrubby areas.

Nesting:
Constructs well-concealed cup in trees or shrubs, usually 2 to 3 feet above the ground. Eggs are whitish with brown marks. Clutch size – 3 to 5 eggs.

Voice:

Song is a series of buzzy notes that continually rise.  Not as rapid as Northern Parula’s song.

Name Origin:

Dendroica:  dendron, Greek for “tree”; oicos, Greek for “inhabit”; discolor, Latin for “of different colors”.

In the Nature Park:
Neotropical migrant, arrives in late April or early May. Common in the juniper trees along the Quarry Trail and throughout the Quarry Bottom.

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