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World of Warblers

May 28, 2021
Colorful, quick, and with such amazing names!
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Prothonotary Warbler perched on a branch, its bright yellow body turned slightly to its left, with shiny dark eye and beak contrasting against the glowing yellow plumage Expand Image
© Tom Grey

May is the prime month across much of North America to celebrate the return of migratory birds from the tropics. Of all those coming back, it is the warblers that many birders eagerly await. And of the more than 50 species that brighten our spring, many gleam like precious stones. From the sky-blue of the Cerulean Warbler to the golden cloak of this Prothonotary Warbler, these tiny birds dazzle us. Purchasing shade-grown coffee can help these and other warblers!

Support for BirdNote comes from the Cornell Lab’s Bird Academy, with online courses that share the wonder and joy of birds. More at AllAboutBirds.org.

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BirdNote®

A World of Warblers

Written by Bob Sundstrom

This is BirdNote!

[Scarlet Tanager song]

May is the prime month across much of North America to celebrate the return of migratory birds from the tropics. Orioles, tanagers, buntings, cuckoos, and many more wing northward. But of all those coming back, it’s the warblers that many eagerly await, like the Ovenbird, whose song we’re hearing now. 

[Ovenbird song]

The warblers stand out as our most fabulous array of avian jewels. Like true gems, most are miniatures, around five inches long. And of the more than 50 species that brighten our spring, many gleam like precious stones. These birds dazzle us – from the glinting ornaments of the Golden-winged Warbler, to the sky-blue of the Cerulean Warbler. 

[Song of Cerulean Warbler]

Nesting from southern wetlands to arctic willows, species of warblers fill many niches, from fly-catching from the tallest trees, to dwelling on the ground.

[Song of Ovenbird]

And some of the warblers’ names are unforgettable: The Painted Redstart [song of Painted Redstart]. The Prothonotary Warbler, perhaps the brightest gem of all [song of Pronthonotary Warbler]. And the Worm-eating Warbler. 

[Buzzy song of Worm-eating Warbler]

Enjoy their return and share this show, or any other, with a friend, when you come to birdnote.org [Buzzy song of Worm-eating Warbler].

I’m Michael Stein.

Support for BirdNote comes from the Cornell Lab’s Bird Academy, with online courses that share the wonder and joy of birds. More at All About Birds dot org.

###

Bird sounds provided by The Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NewYork. Song of Scarlet Tanager [73937] recorded by G.A. Keller; song of Ovenbird [10632] by R.C. Stein; song of Cerulean Warbler [73974] G.A. Keller; song of Painted Redstart [121945] by C.A. Marantz; song of Prothonotary Warbler [85160] and song of Worm-eating Warbler [84858] by W.L. Hershberger.

Theme music composed and played by Nancy Rumbel and John Kessler.

Producer: John Kessler

Executive Producer: Chris Peterson

© 2013 Tune In to Nature.org  May 2018/2021  Narrator: Michael Stein

ID# warbler-01-2008-05-21-KPLUwarbler-01b

Bob Sundstrom
Writer
Michael Stein
Narrator
Tom Grey
Photographer
Tags: warbler

Related Resources

Learn more about International Migratory Bird DayWhere to buy shade-grown coffeeAudubon has more about shade-grown coffeeCerulean Warbler - More at All About BirdsProthonotary Warbler - More at All About BirdsOvenbird - More at All About Birds

More About These Birds

Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulea)

Dendroica cerulea

Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea)

Protonotaria citrea

Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla)

Seiurus aurocapilla

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