Townsend's Warbler

Dendroica townsendi

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

13 cm (5") Fairly common. Northwestern North America. Coniferous forests.

Black cheek patch bordered by yellow suggests a Blackburnian Warbler - a more eastern bird. Two white wing bars. White belly.

Male: olive upperparts. Dark crown. Black throat and upper breast. Sides are yellowish and black streaked.

Female and Immature: olive upperparts. Dark crown. Yellow chin or throat. Sides are yellowish and black streaked. Faint wing bars.

Hybrids between the Townsend's and Hermit Warblers are sometimes seen. They show the yellowish streaked underparts of the Townsend's Warbler and the yellow head of the Hermit Warbler.

Song: series of "zee" notes.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

6 photos

Credit: Doug Greenberg

Credit: nebirdsplus

Credit: Maggie Smith

Credit: Bill Bouton

Credit: Amy McAndrews

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos

Townsend's Warbler taking bath - Mosquitero dandose un bano

Credit: manolodorecho

Townsend's Warblers on Johnson Creek

Credit: John Hamil

Where it lives

Distribution maps

Source legend · original intervals

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Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Generic and winter maps may use different intervals.

Bird Advisor Identification rules 2 variants 2 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Townsend's Warbler (Female or Immature)

1 rule

Rule 1 16 criteria confidence 6

What was the sex of the bird ?: Female · Unknown
Were the SIDES STREAKED, SPOTTED or BARRED ?: Yes · Unknown
Was the RUMP or LOWER BACK light ?: No · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Yellow · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Unknown
What colour were the CHEEKS ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
Was the HEAD striped ?: No · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · 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
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:130-townsend-s-warbler-female-or-immature:1:1 Source: 130 Townsend's Warbler (Female or Immature), row 1

Townsend's Warbler (Male)

1 rule

Rule 1 19 criteria confidence 6

What was the sex of the bird ?: Male · Unknown
What colour were the WING STRIPES or PATCHES ?: White or pale gray stripes or patches · Unknown
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: Yes · 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 ?: Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Yellow · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Unknown
What colour were the CHEEKS ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
Was the HEAD striped ?: No · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: Yellow · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Warbler-like
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:129-townsend-s-warbler-male:1:1 Source: 129 Townsend's Warbler (Male), row 1