Orange-crowned Warbler

Vermivora celata

HOW TO IDENTIFY:

* Length: 4.25 inches
* Small, active, insect-eating bird
* Thin, very pointed bill
* Indistinct yellow supercilium
* Indistinct broken eye ring
* Grayish to olive head, back and wings
* No wing bars
* Yellow to dull yellow/olive underparts with blurry, indistinct streaks on breast
* Yellow undertail coverts
* Orange crown patch rarely visible
* Females and immatures somewhat duller
* Considerable variation in plumage with western birds being somewhat yellower and eastern birds grayer

Similar species:

The Orange-crowned Warbler is extremely nondescript. In fact, this is one of the best field marks for identifying it! Other warblers have wing bars, black streaking below, brighter underparts or distinctive face patterns. The yellow undertail coverts and blurry streaks on the breast separate it from the very similar fall-plumaged Tennessee Warbler.