Butterbutts

One of our most common warblers is the Yellow-rumped (Dendroica coronata), whose sheer omnipresence this time of year almost makes them wallpaper. But it’s a stunning bird that always bears a longer look. The butter-yellow rump, sides, and just a touch on the poll, or head, contrast well with the gray, blue-gray, white, and black of the rest of the plumage.This used to be called the Myrtle Warbler, and was considered to be a separate species from the mountain West Audubon’s Warbler; now they are considered subspecies of each other. Will that last much longer? The main visual difference is in the throat: Audubon’s have yellow throats.

This is the only warbler that will over-winter in the area, at least along coastlines with bayberry. Unlike many birds, they can digest the waxy coating of the bayberry fruits. But the birds we’re seeing now are in breeding plumage and looking sharp.