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Black-throated Green Warbler
Setophaga virens
NatureServe conservation status
Global (G-rank): G5
State (S-rank): SNA
External links
Species range
BREEDING: northern Alberta and probably east-central British Columbia east across Canada to southern Labrador, south to central Alberta, Great Lakes region, southern Appalachians, and Maryland; also Coastal Plain from southeastern Virginia to South Carolina; recently found breeding in the Ozark region of northwestern Arkansas (P. Rodewald). NON-BREEDING: north to southern Texas, Florida; in Mexico primarily along Atlantic coast from Tamaulipas south, extending onto Yucatan peninsula, into Oaxaca, and less commonly farther north on the Pacific coast. Common throughout Central America, particularly in highland regions. Occasionally found in northern Colombia and northern Venezuela; regular but not common throughout West Indies. Birdlife International (2014) estimates just under 1.5 million square kilometers.
Migration
Migrants arrive in Costa Rica early to mid-October, depart by mid-April (Stiles and Skutch 1989). Recorded in South America mostly October-April (Ridgely and Tudor 1989).
Habitat
Breeds in coniferous, mixed coniferous-deciduous, and entirely deciduous forests (Parrish 1995, Condor 97:935-943), including forest edge, second growth, hemlock forest, cedar-grown pastures, larch bogs, and swamps. In migration and winter, occurs in various open forest, woodland, scrub, second growth, and thicket habitats (AOU 1983); prefers forest canopy and edges, pasture trees, and semi-open, sometimes in low scrubby second growth (Stiles and Skutch 1989). Nests often in conifers but also in hardwoods, shrubs, and vine tangles, from almost ground level to about 25 m up (usually low) (Harrison 1978).
Food habits
Eats mainly insects; generally forages high in trees in breeding range. In Jamaica in winter, picks insects off needles of junipers and introduced pines, especially at tips of canopy and side branches, usually when perched but also when hovering (as in summer); also eats fruits obtained in sclerophyll forest (Lack 1976). In Mexico in winter, gleans the tops of the outermost leaves of trees in the canopy and subcanopy, often on terminal tufts and occasionally hovering (Rappole and Warner 1980). In Costa Rica, gleans small insects and spiders from leaves, flycatches (Stiles and Skutch 1989). Foraging behavior is more generalized in Panama than in temperate habitats (Rabenold 1980).
Ecology
Winter: alone or in groups of up to 15, or in mixed flocks (Stiles and Skutch 1989, Rappole and Warner 1980).
Reproductive characteristics
Clutch size is 4-5 (usually 4). Incubation lasts about 12 days, mostly by female. Young are tended by both parents, leave nest at 8-10 days.
Threats or limiting factors
Good numbers still. This species is less vulnerable to tropical deforestation than most neotropical migrants but major declines can still follow gross habitat changes (Morse and Poole, 2005).
