Kentucky warbler facts for kids
The Kentucky warbler (Geothlypis formosa) is a small, colorful bird. It's a type of New World warbler, which are songbirds found in North and South America. This warbler likes to stay close to the ground, often hidden in plants. It only flies higher when it sings its cheerful song.
Quick facts for kids Kentucky warbler |
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| Male Kentucky warbler | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Geothlypis
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| Species: |
formosa
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| Range of G. formosa Breeding range Winter range | |
| Synonyms | |
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Oporornis formosus |
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Contents
What Does a Kentucky Warbler Look Like?
Adult Kentucky warblers have an olive-green color on their back and the back of their neck. Their chest and belly are a bright, sunny yellow.
They have a small black spot on their head. A big black patch covers their face, like a mask. This black mask has a yellow pattern around the eyes, making them look like they are wearing spectacles.
Female Kentucky warblers usually have less black on their heads. Young birds might have almost no black at all.
Kentucky Warbler Measurements
- Length: About 5.1 inches (13 centimeters)
- Weight: Around 0.5 ounces (13-14 grams)
- Wingspan: From 7.9 to 8.7 inches (20-22 centimeters)
Where Do Kentucky Warblers Live?
The Kentucky warbler is not a very common bird, but it lives in a wide area. It prefers wet deciduous forests, which are forests where trees lose their leaves in the fall.
This bird is migratory. This means it travels long distances between seasons. In the summer, it lives in the central and eastern United States. You can find them as far north as Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.
When fall and winter arrive, the Kentucky warbler flies south. They travel all the way to the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico and many islands in the Caribbean. They fly non-stop across the Gulf of Mexico to reach their winter homes. In 2007, one was even seen as far west as Farmington, New Mexico.
How Kentucky Warblers Reproduce
Kentucky warblers build their nests on the ground. They hide them well at the bottom of a bush or in a patch of weeds. These spots always have lots of plants around them.
The female bird lays between 3 and 6 eggs. The eggs are white or cream-colored and have brown spots. Only the female sits on the eggs to keep them warm. This is called incubation, and it lasts for about 12 days. The baby warblers usually leave the nest about 10 days after they hatch.
Images for kids
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South Padre Island - Texas
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South Padre Island - Texas
See also
In Spanish: Chipe cachetinegro para niños
