Golden-Winged Warbler
Vermivora chrysoptera

The golden-winged warbler is a small gray bird with yellow accents on its wings and head and a small black beak. It can be found in the northern Chesapeake Bay watershed during much of the year.

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A small gray golden-winged warbler with yellow flashes on its head and wings perches on a branch.
The golden-winged warbler is a small songbird with yellow flashes throughout its gray body. It can be found in the northern Chesapeake region. (Photo courtesy of Manny Salas/iNaturalist CC BY-NC, cropped and toned)

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Appearance

The golden-winged warbler is a small, gray bird with yellow flashes on its head and wings, a white belly and a short tail. The species also has a sharply pointed black beak.

Feeding

The golden-winged warbler forages in the upper level of trees and shrubs during the summer months. Sometimes hanging with their heads down, they pick among foliage and pry open curled leaves in search of food. During the winter, they mainly feed low in trees. Their diet primarily consists of insects, caterpillars and moths.

Predators

Small mammals such as eastern chipmunks, larger birds such as blue jays and various species of snakes are known predators of the golden-winged warbler.

Voice

The golden-winged warbler sings a slow, insect-resembling song that has a long, high pitched seee sound followed by multiple short bzzz bzzz chirps.

Reproduction and life cycle

Golden-winged warblers breed once a year in early summer. Females build nests and lay 3-6 eggs, which she incubates for 11-12 days. After hatching, parents feed young for about a month until they are ready to leave the nest. This species reaches full maturity by 10-12 months. 

Did you know?

  • During territorial encounters, male golden-winged warblers make several types of displays including crown raising, tail spreading, chasing and fighting.
  • Golden-winged warbler populations are affected by the nest parasite brown-headed cowbirds, who lay their eggs inside warbler nests, causing warblers to abandon their eggs. 
  • Golden-winged warblers form a hybrid species with the closely related blue-winged warbler, as their territories often overlap.

Sources and additional information

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