Yellow-throated Warbler Beauty!

This beautiful Yellow-throated Warbler (Setophaga dominica) was in J.N. Ding Darling NWR yesterday and found a snack of a tasty caterpillar. This warbler breeds in much of the lower 2/3 of the eastern part of the country and winters in FL and parts of the Gulf Coast. There are two subspecies. Setophaga dominica dominica is found from s.e. NJ-s. FL and has variable amounts of yellow in the supraloral area. Setophaga dominica albilora is in the rest of the range and has a usually white supraloral area. So this bird is most likely of the subspecies dominica. Yellow-throated Warblers only winter in very south FL, not usually breed there. So this bird may be a winter visitor, like us! Look for them in your area and if you visit FL in winter! For complete information on the subspecies of birds, see our The Stokes Field Guide to the Birds of North America, a must-have for birders who want to be informed.