Tag Archives: common yellowthroat

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Field Notes, Out There with the Expert

A Common Yellowthroat warbler at Old Bynum Bridge

One of the sweetest little birds we’ve got flying around here in central NC is the Common Yellowthroat. This tiny species of warbler is certainly a cheerful sight whenever I encounter one singing in the field.
I spotted this male last week near the Old Bynum Bridge in Pittsboro while birding with Corie of @lattaridge
He was quite active, flying from branch to bush stopping only for a few seconds at a time to sing a quick tune.



Common Yellowthroats prefer brushy wet habitats located near marshes, ponds and streams. I’ve had the best luck finding them between 2-6ft off of the ground hiding in the undergrowth and hedges along the shoreline.
These spunky birds are one of the most prolific breeding species of warbler in the United States. Their common moniker suits them well as they occur all across the US and up into Canada.



Here in North Carolina, they may be found all year round (although they are more often seen in the summertime) in our coastal eastern counties.
In the Piedmont and mountain regions they are best sighted between March and October.
This means that you still have plenty of time to get outside and enjoy these feathered gems for yourself before the year is done.

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the full frame beast of an SLR, the mighty @canonusa
#5Ds

Field Notes

Birding at Bass Lake Park – The Common Yellowthroat

Few species of Warbler are more delightful to encounter on a spring walk than the Common Yellowthroat.
I spotted this one while birding at Bass Lake Park in Holly Springs NC.
With those inquisitive dark eyes peering out against a black face mask paired with a cheerful bright yellow plumage, it’s hard not to smile when watching one go about it’s day of hunting for insects in the brush.



As their name implies, Common Yellowthroats are indeed “common”. Not only do they nest in all 100 countries of North Carolina, they actually boast a breeding range that stretches across the entire United States and even over most of Canada! This makes them one of the most abundantly found species of Warbler on the continent.
Quite a feat for such a tiny bird!

One of my favorite characteristics of these beauties is their friendly demeanor. When not actively nesting, they’re quite curious about people and will fly in close to check you out if you try pishing at them. It’s neat to get a close up look at these lovely feathered gems when the opportunity presents itself.
Look for the Common Yellowthroat in open fields and along the shorelines of marshes, ponds and streams hiding out in thickets and dense brush.
Aren’t they sweet?



Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the full frame beast of an SLR, the mighty @canonusa
#5Ds

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Field Notes, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

Birding at Lake Mattamuskeet: A Common Yellowthroat

One of the sweetest species of Warbler we’ve got flying around here in North Carolina is the Common Yellowthroat.
I was lucky to spot this female hunting for a meal in a marsh recently at the Lake Mattamuskeet NWR.
She was moving around so quickly that it was tough to get a photograph of her as she flew from reed to reed over the water.
Such a neat little bird!



Common Yellowthroats are a year round resident of North Carolina. Though they are seen throughout the Tarheel state in the spring and summer, during the winter months you’re most likely to spot this species in our eastern coastal counties.
No matter the season they may be found in briers, damp brushy places, weeds or grasses along country roads or agricultural areas.
As seen in this series of photos from Lake Mattamuskeet, Common Yellowthroats are also found stalking insects in cattails, bulrushes, sedges, and willows by streamsides, ponds, swamps, both in freshwater, and salt-water marshes.



It was neat to spend time with this female. I haven’t much of an opportunity to do so in the past as I’ve found them to be much shyer than the males. Though they aren’t as boldly feathered as the males who sport that familiar black face mask, female Common Yellowthroats are quite a lovely sight with that pretty warm brown and yellow plumage reflecting in the sun.



Next month, Common Yellowthroats will start spreading west into the rest of North Carolina to establish their breeding territories.
They are known to nest in all 100 counties from the mountains to the coast so they should be easy to find in the spring and summer no matter where you live.
It’s not just us who get to enjoy them though!
Stretching from far north western Canada all
the way down into California and across the US into Florida, these birds have one of the widest breeding ranges in the Western Hemisphere for Warbler species.
Makes a little more sense on how these uncommonly beautiful birds earned the “common” in their name.

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the fabulous full frame @canonusa
#5Ds

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Out There with the Expert, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

A Common Yellowthroat Warbler encounter at Bass lake Park

Yesterday’s post featured a handsome Yellow-throated Warbler. Today’s bird is another sharp looking fella, the Common Yellowthroat.
I found this young male (molting) at Bass Park in Holly Springs NC earlier this week sitting on a bridge rail looking as sweet as could be.

Though these birds have similar names, unlike the Yellow-throated Warbler, the Common Yellowthroat is the most widespread breeding warbler in the country, nesting across most of Canada and the United States. Not only do these little ones have a wide breeding range, as their namesake suggests they are an easily found bird, and thus is one of the top three most abundant warblers on the continent.

They breed in all 100 counties of North Carolina and spend the wintertime in our Coastal Plain region.
During the warmer months of the nesting season, Yellowthroats may be found in freshwater to marginally brackish marshes, thickets, overgrown fields, brier patches, woodland edges, and other dense /shrubby types of brush.
When winter arrives, they will abandon the dry fields in favor of wetland areas.

Though they are abundant around the Tarheel State, they can be tough to see (because of their preference to hang out in dense brushy undergrowth). Lucky for us, Common Yellowthroats are quite curious birds and will come out to say hello to ya if you make pishing noises.

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the fabulous full frame SLR, the @canonusa
#5Ds

Field Notes, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

The masked bandit: A common yellowthroat Warbler at Harris lake Park

While birding at Harris Lake Park in New Hill N.C. last week, I spotted this handsome male Common Yellowthroat warbler.
Like visiting with an old friend, I’ve been keeping an eye on this bird all summer and it’s wonderful to see him at a reliable spot.

These brightly colored warblers are one of very few that will nest in open marshes with a range that stretches from from California to the Carolinas.
They can be found foraging for insects such as dragonflies, caterpillars, spiders and beetles near bodies of water who’s shoreline is ringed with scrubby trees, dense bushes and tall grass.

As you can see by these photos, some of the vegetation here in central North Carolina is already turning brown as the autumn season approaches.
The Common Yellowthroat is a year round resident in the coastal regions of N.C. They generally stick around the Triangle area through late November but occasionally will spend the winters here as well. Mountain populations of these birds will hang around until October before their depart for warmer climates in the south eastern states.
There’s still plenty of time to go see one this summer so get out there and enjoy them!

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the fabulous full frame SLR, the @canonusa
#5Ds

Field Notes, Out There with the Expert, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

Birding at Harris Lake Park: The Common Yellowthroat warbler

Had a delightful encounter with a male Common Yellowthroat this morning while birding at Harris Lake Park in New Hill North Carolina. I’d been watching a couple of Orchard Orioles high up in the pine trees when this handsome little guy flew onto a branch right above my head.

He hopped around a bit stopping to sing every few minutes to an unseen counterpoint somewhere in the brush surrounding me.
Then he stopped and stared at something on a branch nearby. I thought he might have a go at trying to eat what he found but perhaps this particular meal might have led to him biting off more than he could chew, lol!
He eyed it for a bit before taking off in search of a more suitable meal.
Check out the next photo to see what he was considering for breakfast 😉



Common Yellowthroats typically feed on small insects and spiders, probing in dead vegetation and in bark crevices for hidden 6 & 8 legged meals. Their short wings make them weak fliers, so as was the case with this gorgeous bird, they’ll typically hop from perch to perch while foraging, and they fly distances in quick bursts, a streak of yellow skimming low over thickets or marshes.
Such great looking birds, they never fail to capture my attention no matter how many times I’ve seen them!



Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the fabulous full frame SLR, the @canonusa
#5Ds

Bird watching Videos, Field Notes, Instagram Birding, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

Video of a Common yellowthroat warbler at Harris Lake Park

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Had to grab a quick video clip of my first Common Yellowthroat Warbler of 2020! Such a sweet bird. They are very curious about people and will emerge from the brush if you make pshhhhhhing noises at them 🙂 I’m really looking forward to having more opportunities this summer to photograph these beautiful feathered gems with the amazing Canon 5Ds! Video by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc Canon 5Ds . . . . #birdnerd #birdsofinsta #birdsofinstagram #ncwildlife #birding #birdwatching #birdwatchers #bird #birds #ncbirding #ncbirds #ncbirdwatching #canon #canon5ds #ncoutdoors #ncnature #canonwildlife #ncwildlifephotographer #northcarolinabirding #birdwatchingnc #northcarolinabirds #audubonsociety #birdoftheday #audubonnc #canonvideo #canonvideography #harrislake #warblers #commonyellowthroat

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All photos and video were captured with my mighty Canon 5DS. If you are interested in getting shots like these with this 50 MP beast of a camera, please check out the link below to Canon USA.

Birdwatching NC is sponsored by Canon USA and I am proud to be a Canon shooter. After 13 years of trusting my professional photography business to Canon’s line of products, I cannot recommend this company strongly enough. If you have have any questions about my gear, shoot me a message!

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first of the Year Common yellowthroat Warbler at Bass lake Park

Yesterday morning I also made a trip to Harris Lake Park in New Hill, NC. I’d set out to see if I could find some Northen Parula Warblers but no luck… Instead, I was happy to find my first Common Yellowthroats of the year along the shoreline. I absolutely adore these energetic Warblers. They’ve got such nice looking plumage. So bright and cheerful!

Common Yellowthoat Warbler



These gorgeous little birds usually stay low in thick marshy or brushy vegetation, and are often hard to see. They do respond well to pishing and will emerge from the brush to see who’s making all that noise.

The bold black mask of this male and his distinctive wich-i-ty, wich-i-ty, wich-i-ty song made this an easy warbler to identify.
The Common Yellowthroat breeds from western Canada across North America and spends the non-breeding season here in the coastal southeastern states, throughout Mexico and Central America, and the Caribbean.
Photo by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc
Canon 5Ds

Field Notes, Out There with the Expert, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

A friendly female Common yellowthroat at bass lake Park, N.C.

This is a female Common Yellowthroat. I spotted her hopping in the brush along the trail on the western side of Bass Lake in Holly Springs, NC.
Though she lacks the bandit mask of her mate, she’ll steal your heart! What a little beauty.
🌿
Common Yellowthroats are easy to find during spring, summer & autumn here in North Carolina.
Look for them in open areas such as bogs, wetland edges, and brushy fields.
This is why Bass Lake Park is a perfect habitat for finding these birds!
Their call notes are distinctive. Keep your ears tuned for a husky, low “chuck” coming from the undergrowth. When you hear one, look low in bushes (under 4ft) and low in the trees for a quick, small bird, olive above and yellow below.
In addition, Common Yellowthroats are often attracted to the “pishing” sound. These inquisitive birds will often pop into the open to see who’s making the noises.
The ones at Bass Lake are particularly friendly so don’t be surprised if you encounter one up close!
Photo by @sally_siko
Canon 5Ds

Field Notes, Out There with the Expert, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

A Common Yellowthroat at Bass Lake Park

This cool little bird is a Common Yellowthroat. I spotted him while birding recently at Bass Park in Holly Springs North Carolina.

I was able to get pretty close to this colorful little Warbler without stressing him out.
Actually, most of the birds I saw at Bass Lake seemed acclimated to the presence of people. A big time plus if your short on time and don’t want to worry about delving deep into the woods to find birds!
Photo by @sally_siko
Canon 5Ds