Many species of Warbler pass through our Valley in the course of Spring and Fall migration. Warblers are what make these seasons special for North American birders because of the varied and often spectacular plumage (not compared to Costa Rica, but compared to here), the beautiful songs…the novelty.
Of all the Warblers seen here, only two are considered indigenous, and both are interestingly problematic. The Orange-crowned Warbler is seen year-round but an individual seen in Summer is almost certainly not the individual seen in Winter. The migration areas of these birds overlap, with us right in the middle!
The Common Yellowthroat is our truly year-round Warbler, but it is rarely seen. Very shy, it is more often identified by its distinctive song (translated into human as “Witchety-witchety-witchety”) than seen in the feather. But keep an eye out, this unique bird, with the male’s Lone-Ranger mask, is a very rewarding sight.