Tropical parula Parula pitiayumi

Identification Tips:

• Length: 3.75 inches
• Small, active, insect-eating bird
• Thin, pointed bill
• Gray head, wings, rump and tail
• Olive back
• White wing bars
• Yellow throat and breast
• White belly and undertail coverts
• Yellow legs
• United States range restricted to South Texas

Adult male:

• Black mask
• Orange wash on breast

Female and immature:

• Lacks mask
• Plumage generally duller than male

Similar species:

The very local (South Texas) Tropical Parula is similar in size to the Northern Parula but the lacks the broken eye ring and has more yellow on the underparts. Male Tropical Parula has a black mask that the Northern Parula lacks and has less marking on the breast. Other warblers lack the combination of an unmarked yellow breast and throat, wing bars, and a gray head.

Length and wingspan from: Robbins, C.S., Bruun, B., Zim, H.S., (1966). Birds of North America. New York: Western Publishing Company, Inc.