It’s springtime in central North Carolina which means the Kentucky Warblers have arrived.
I spotted this feathered gem today while exploring the area around Bynum Bridge in Pittsboro.The neat thing was that this particular bird was super accessible as it popped out of the underbrush frequently to sing offering multiple opportunities to snag a useable photo or two.

This brightly colored warbler, (unlike so many other geographically named warblers lol), is actually well-named, as the center of its range lies squarely in the center of the state of Kentucky.They are quintessential birds of the Eastern deciduous forest, breeding across nearly all of North Carolina from the mountains to the coast. Though they are considered a common bird west of the Appalachians, east of the Blue Ridge mountains there isn’t a particular region where Kentucky Warblers are found in great numbers so it’s always a treat to spot a random one here in the Triangle area.

Kentucky Warblers are usually best found in moist, rich forests, containing a thick underbrush zone near creeks and streams beneath a hardwood canopy.Some are known to breed in our floodplain habitats (particularly in brownwater ones) while avoiding blackwater regions such as the Lumber River area.In our western mountains, where broad floodplains are scarce, Kentucky Warblers may be found nesting more abundantly on slopes, but usually on lower ones or on others that are very rich and lush.Look for these beauties from late April through early September here in the Tarheel state.

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