UKBirds

Northern Parula

Setophaga americana

The Northern Parula, Parula americana, is a small New World warbler. It breeds in eastern North America from southern Canada to Florida.

This species is migratory, wintering in southern Florida, northern Central America, the West Indies and most of the Lesser Antilles. This species is a very rare vagrant to western Europe.

The Northern Parula is one of the smaller Northern migratory warblers. Length is 10.8-12 cm (4.3-4.7 in) and body mass is 5-11 g (0.18-0.39 oz). This species has mainly gray upper parts, with a greenish back patch and two white wing bars. The breast is yellowish shading into the white belly. The summer male has bluish and rufous breast bands and prominent white eye crescents. Females are duller and lack the breast bands. The breeding habitat is humid woodland with growths of Old Man's Beard lichen or Spanish moss. Northern Parulas nest in trees in clumps of these mosses, laying 3-7 eggs in a scantily lined cup nest.

These birds feed on insects and spiders. Their song is a click-like trill or buzz, zeeeeee-yip. Their call is a soft chip.