North American field guide
Louisiana Waterthrush
Seiurus motacilla
Identification
Field notes
15 cm (6") Uncommon ground dweller along rivers and in swamps in eastern United States; strays to southern Ontario.
Dark upperparts. Heavily streaked light underparts contrast with pinkish sides. Eyebrow stripe is two colored; buffy before eye, white and broadens behind eye. Told from similar Northern Waterthrush by its contrasting salmon sides and broadening eyebrow. Also it has lighter, pink feet.
It bobs like a Spotted Sandpiper as it walks.
Song: musical and ringing.
Details in the field
Photo gallery
Watch and learn
Videos
Louisiana Waterthrush
Credit: Larry BondLouisiana Waterthrush. ©Jim Zipp 2011
Credit: Wild Bird and Nature Videos by McElroy ProductionsWhere it lives
Distribution map
Source legend · original intervals
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Unshaded in source · does not imply absence
Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant · 1 rule
These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.
Louisiana Waterthrush
1 ruleRule 1 17 criteria · confidence 2
- What colour were the LEGS or FEET ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
- Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?
- No · Unknown
- Were the SIDES STREAKED, SPOTTED or BARRED ?
- Yes · Unknown
- Was the RUMP or LOWER BACK light ?
- No · Unknown
- What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?
- Uniform · Unknown
- What colour was the BACK ?
- Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- What colour was the BELLY ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Unknown
- What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?
- Streaked lengthwise (from head to tail) · Unknown
- What colour was the THROAT ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Unknown
- What SHAPE was the BILL ?
- Straight and slender · Unknown
- What LENGTH was the BILL ?
- Short · Medium · Unknown
- What were the EYE markings if any ?
- Light STRIPE OVER, BEHIND or THROUGH the eye · Unknown
- What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?
- Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- How BIG was the bird ?
- Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
- What TYPE of bird was seen ?
- Warbler-like
- WHEN was the bird seen ?
- Spring · Summer · Fall
- WHERE was the bird seen ?
- Northeastern Canada or United States · Southeastern United States · Southwestern United States