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Black Throated Blue Warbler

© Fred J. Kane

Black Throated Blue Warbler Dendroica caerulescens

The Black Throated Blue Warbler is one of over 100 species of warblers that live in the Americas. The length of the adult male Black Throated Blue Warbler is about four to five inches making it a small blue bird that is a little bit bigger than a sparrow and a busy little bird. This warbler has a pointed, narrow beak and most birds have an ivory colored patch on its wings. The white patch is more pronounced in older birds. Its face, throat and flanks are colored black while the rest of the bird is ivory white in color. The Black Throated Blue Warbler has a deep blue crown, the back of the neck and deep blue wing coverts. The mature birds have a wing span of about eight inches and weigh about and are a very light in weight bird.

Scientists suggest there are two races of Black Throated Blue Warblers. One race thrives in the Great Lakes Region east to Nova Scotia. The other recognized race that has a darker plumage inhabits the Appalachian Mountains. Also some Black Throated Blue Warblers inhabit parts of Indiana

The female Black Throated Blue Warbler has a grey crown and a deep blue patch on her cheek. She also has a white crescent mark over her eyes and her stomach appears grey to a yellow white color. Her wings and tail are a dark color.

Young male Black Throated Warblers have plumage similar to adult males but can have a greenish stomach and an ivory colored chin.

They prefer a habitat in the woodlands in the center section of a tree.

Nesting Behavior Black Throated Blue Warblers prefer to mate in mixed woodlands where young treeand thick shrubs flourish. In the Appalachian Mountains, patches of rhododendron often become the preferred mating habitat.

Their nest has the appearance of a cup, built by the female of bark strips, dead leaves, spider webs and moss about three feet off the ground. If there is nest failure it is because Blue Jays and squirrels have invaded the nest.

After mating the female lays from three to five eggs and she sits on the eggs for about two weeks. About two weeks later the young birds fledge. Usually but not always this species of warbler has one brood of chicks each year. The young are cared for by both parents.

Their primary diet consists of insects along with a small quantity of vegetation. Also

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