Olive-capped warbler
| Olive-capped warbler | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Parulidae |
| Genus: | Setophaga |
| Species: | S. pityophila |
| Binomial name | |
| Setophaga pityophila (Gundlach, 1855) | |
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| Synonyms | |
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See text | |
The olive-capped warbler (Setophaga pityophila) is a species of bird in the family Parulidae, the New World warblers.[2] It is found in Cuba and in the Bahamas on Grand Bahama, Little Abaco, and Great Abaco.[3]
Taxonomy and systematics
[edit]The olive-capped warbler was formally described by Juan Gundlach in 1855 as Sylvicola pityophila; Gundlach called it the "Cuban pine wood warbler".[4] It was later reassigned to genus Dendroica. Beginning in 2011 taxonomic systems merged that genus into its present genus Setophaga.[5][6]
Description
[edit]The olive-capped warbler is about 12.5 to 13 cm (4.9 to 5.1 in) long and weighs 7.2 to 8.7 g (0.25 to 0.31 oz). The sexes have the same plumage except that males' average brighter than females'. Adults have a yellowish olive crown, black lores, and a thin yellow line above the lores that extends to the top of the eye on an otherwise slate-gray to plumbeous face. Their upperparts are also slate-gray to plumbeous. Their wings are slate-gray to plumbeous with white tips on the greater and median coverts that show as two wing bars. Their tail is slate-gray to plumbeous with some white on the outer two pairs of feathers. Their throat and breast are yellow and their belly and undertail coverts white. The sides of their breast have some irregular black streaks and their flanks have a brownish-olive to grayish tinge. Both sexes have a dark iris, a blackish bill, and blackish brown legs and feet. Juveniles have a brownish head and upperparts, indistinct wing bars, and paler underparts than adults.[3][7]
Distribution and habitat
[edit]The olive-capped warbler is found in two areas of Cuba, Pinar del Río Province on the far western end of the island and Holguín, Santiago de Cuba, and Guantánamo provinces at the eastern end. It is also found in the Bahamas on Grand Bahama, Little Abaco, and Great Abaco islands.[3][7] Though the IUCN states that it also is found in the Turks and Caicos Islands, no other source includes that archipelago.[1][3][7][8][9][10] True to its original English name, it almost exclusively inhabits pine forest.[3][8] It occasionally can also be found in adjacent mixed pine-hardwood forest.[7] In elevation it ranges from sea level to 2,000 m (6,600 ft).[8]
Behavior
[edit]Movement
[edit]The olive-capped warbler is a sedentary year-round resident.[3]
Feeding
[edit]The olive-capped warbler's diet has not been studied; it is assumed to be mostly insects and other arthropods. In the Bahamas it has been noted at the flowers of century plants (Agave braceana) but it is not known if they were seeking insects or nectar.[3]
Breeding
[edit]The olive-capped warbler breeds between March and June. Its nest is a cup; its main structure has not been described but feathers have been noted as lining. It is usually built close to the trunk of a pine tree between 2 and 15 m (10 and 50 ft) above the ground. The clutch is two eggs that are whitish with brown spots. The incubation period, time to fledging, and details of parental care are not known.[3]
Vocalization
[edit]The olive-capped warbler's song is "high, melodious [and] whistle-like...generally 8 quick notes, wisi-wisi-wisi...". Its call is tsip.[7]
Status
[edit]The IUCN has assessed the olive-capped warbler as being of Least Concern. Its population size is not known and is believed to be decreasing. No immediate threats have been identified.[1] It is considered "common, but extremely local" in its limited range.[7]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 BirdLife International (2024). "Olive-capped Warbler Setophaga pityophila". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2024 e.T22721716A264318211. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2024-2.RLTS.T22721716A264318211.en. Retrieved 10 July 2026.
- 1 2 Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (April 2026). "New World warblers, mitrospingid tanagers". IOC World Bird List. v 15.2. Retrieved 5 July 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Curson, J. (2020). Olive-capped Warbler (Setophaga pityophila), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.olcwar1.01 retrieved July 10, 2026
- ↑ Gundlach, John (Juan) (1858). "XXV.—Description of a New Species of Bird of the Genus Sylvicola Swainson". Annals of the Lyceum of Natural History of New York. VI (1): 160–161. Retrieved July 10, 2026.
- ↑ R. Terry Chesser, Richard C. Banks, F. Keith Barker, Carla Cicero, Jon L. Dunn, Andrew W. Kratter, Irby J. Lovette, Pamela C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen, Jr., James D. Rising, Douglas F. Stotz, and Kevin Winker. "Fifty-second supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union Check-list of North American Birds". The Auk 2011, vol. 128:600–613 retrieved October 22, 2025
- ↑ Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, D. F. Lane, L, N. Naka, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 27 February 2026. A classification of the bird species of South America. South American Classification Committee associated with the International Ornithologists' Union. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm retrieved February 28, 2026
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Raffaele, Herbert; Wiley, James; Garrido, Orlando; Keith, Allan; Rafaele, Janice (2003). Birds of the West Indies. Princeton Field Guides. Princeton University Press. pp. Plate 68. ISBN 0-691-11319-X.
- 1 2 3 Check-list of North American Birds (7th ed.). Washington, D.C.: American Ornithologists' Union. 1998. p. 547.
- ↑ Clements, J. F., P.C. Rasmussen, T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, A. Spencer, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2023. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2023. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/ retrieved October 28, 2023
- ↑ AviList Core Team (2025). "AviList: The Global Avian Checklist, v2025". Retrieved June 11, 2025.
External links
[edit]
Media related to Setophaga pityophila at Wikimedia Commons
Data related to Setophaga pityophila at Wikispecies