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Many young females have buffy flanks and undertail-coverts.

Prairie Warbler (first two weeks of April in very small numbers) [scrub and woodland edges] {feeds mainly at mid to low levels in the undergrowth and on the ground}

As we are on the extreme eastern edge of the Prairie Warbler’s breeding range we get very few of them during migration on the upper Texas coast. Males and females look similar with females looking duller overall with less distinct markings.

The undertail is mostly white with dark at the outer edges of the tip.

To see more photos of this species please click here:
http://www.pbase.com/dadas115/prairie_warbler

Prothonotary Warbler (Mid-March through the summer) [prefers wet wooded areas but can also be found in dry wooded areas] {forages at low to mid levels}

Of all the birds in North America my all time favorite has to be the Prothonotary Warbler. I will never forget the first time I saw one at Brazos Bend State Park so many springs ago. The warblers like to hang out in wooded swamps and are unmistakable. They have a golden-yellow head, breast and belly, white undertail coverts, silvery gray tail and wings and a greenish back. The black eye and beak in the spring are also distinctive on the bright yellow head.

Prothonotary Warblers are sexually dimorphic with females and immature birds looking similar to adult males but with duller yellow.

Prothonotary Warblers start to show up on the UTC around the last week of March and migrants can be found at coastal woodlots until the first week of May.

The folded undertail is mostly white with a dark tip.

Sometimes during migration Prothonotary Warblers feed on nectar and fruit which can stain the tops of their heads as can be seen in this individual:

To see more photos of this species please click here:
http://www.pbase.com/dadas115/prothonotary_warbler

Swainson’s Warbler (last week of March through the summer) [wooded areas with dense undergrowth and wooded swamps] {feeds mainly on the ground probing leaf litter, also feeds in low shrubs and on rotting logs}

Swainson’s Warblers start showing up on the Texas coast during the first week of April and though they probably pass through in fairly good numbers they are very difficult to detect in migration.

Male and female Swainson’s Warblers look similar and are usually found in riparian areas with dense undergrowth. These birds are fairly drab with a brown crown and nape and an off-white supercilium. They have a very large beak that makes them look flat headed.

To see more photos of this species please click here:
http://www.pbase.com/dadas115/swainsons_warbler

Kentucky Warbler (Last week of March through the first week of May but some breed on the UTC) [wooded areas with dense undergrowth] {forages mainly on the ground, turning dead leaves, also forages in low bushes}


Another secretive early migrant is the Kentucky Warbler, which starts showing up on the UTC around the last week of March. They are large chunky warblers with greenish backs and yellow underparts and a distinctive black facial pattern.

Like the Swainson’s Warbler, Kentucky Warblers like dense vegetation and stay near the ground. They are sexually dimorphic with the female being similar to the male with less extensive markings on the head and less black on the crown.

Male

Female

Hooded Warbler (Second week in March through the first week in May though some breed on the UTC) [wooded areas with dense undergrowth and tall scrub] {forages mainly in the understory and on the ground. Also flycatches from low perches. Frequently flicks open its tail exposing white spots to startle prey}

The last of the early warbler migrants on the UTC is the Hooded Warbler. This species is sexually dimorphic with the males being quite distinctive with their black throat and crown surrounding a yellow face. Females, particularly young ones can be tougher to identify.

The black on the female birds is sparse.

Hooded Warblers prefer wooded habitats with dense understory and forage near the ground, frequently flashing the white spots on their tail to startle prey.

From beneath the undertail coverts are yellow with white tail feather that have gray at the outer edges of the tip of the tail.

To see more photos of this species please click here:
http://www.pbase.com/dadas115/hooded_warbler