By Sally Siko

This is a bird which I look forward to seeing every spring, the Yellow-breasted Chat.
I was out birding early this morning along the Cape Fear River in Chatham county North Carolina when I heard the bird’s familiar calls emanating from the tree line.
Up until now, I’ve only ever seen the species from very far away or in partially obscured in dense brush.
Today, I got lucky and got to spend time with one out in the open, at eye level at only a few feet away.
It was a real thrill to finally get a good close-up look at this bird.
What a beauty!

Yellow-breasted Chats are known for their impressive ability to mimic the songs of other bird species, as well as various sounds in their environment, such as the calls of other animals or even mechanical sounds.
Yet, despite their loud and distinctive songs, these guys can be difficult to spot as they often remain hidden in dense vegetation. They prefer to forage and nest in thickets, shrubby areas, and forest edges which overlook overgrown fields so some off trail hiking may be needed to find one.

These gorgeous birds are primarily found in North America during the summer breeding season, ranging from southern Canada to Central America.
While they can be solitary during the breeding season, Yellow-breasted Chats are known to form loose flocks during migration and in their wintering grounds, where they may associate with other bird species.
They’ll stick around North Carolina from now through September so you’ve still got plenty of time to go find one too.

Btw, I’ve got a ton of fun group birding trips in North Carolina, South Carolina, Maine and New Jersey open for booking from now through December.
Check out my trip calendar below for dates and locations.

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5