Prairie warbler Dendroica discolor

Identification Tips:

• Small, active, insect-eating bird
• Thin, pointed bill
• Yellow underparts
• Dark streaks on sides
• Yellow rump
• Dark legs
• Indistinct pale wing bars
• Frequently wags its tail
• Often found in scrubby habitats

Adult male:

• Black line through eye and below eye encircles yellow spot below eye
• Yellow supercilium
• Olive upperparts with rust streaks on back
• Female similar to male but duller
• Immatures similar to male but face pattern is gray and plumage duller

Similar species:

Adult Prairie Warblers typically have a distinctive face pattern but in fall the immatures can look like other species. Even though immatures can look pale gray in the face they often retain a remnant of the distinctive adult face pattern. Prairie Warblers often wag their tails. Palm Warblers also wag their tails but are paler below with more streaking on the breast.