4.5 inches long. The Northern Parula is a very small short-tailed warbler. It has a bright yellow throat and breast with a variable red/black band across the upper breast. It is blue-gray above with a yellow/green patch on the upper back. There are bold white crescents above and below the eye. The wing has two bold wing bars and the belly is white. The undertail coverts are white and the tail has white tail spots. Females and juveniles are duller overall and sometimes do not have the breast band.
The Northern Parula is a common summer resident that breeds in the forest. Arrival is in early to mid April. Its departure is late September.
The Northern Parula was formerly called the Blue Yellow-backed Warbler. It can be closely approached. It is very active and often feeds at the tips of branches. It will also hang upside down like a Chickadee. It feeds generally moderately high in trees but tends to feed lower in the fall. The Northern Parula sings prolifically. The song is readily identifiable as a buzzy ascending trill with an abrupt ending. It generally nests in mature trees.
Disclaimer: The content of NatureSearch is provided by dedicated volunteer Naturalists of Fontenelle Forest who strive to provide the most accurate information available. Contributors of the images retain their copyrights. The point of contact for this page is: Phil Swanson.