Yellow-throated Warbler Setophaga dominica (Linnaeus, 1766)    Synonyms: YTWA.
Kingdom Animalia   >   Phylum Chordata   >   Class Aves   >   Order Passeriformes   >   Family Parulidae   >   Genus Setophaga   

Status:

Yellow-throated Warblers breed in southeastern North America and migrate south in the winter. They are one of the earliest warblers to arrive back in Maryland in the spring. These striking warblers occupy two very distinct habitats in the state, and are generally treated as two subspecies. The white-lored, shorter-billed birds that nest along the C&O Canal are American Sycamore specialists, while the yellow-lored, longer-billed birds on the coastal plain are Loblolly Pine specialists. Yellow-throated Warblers feed mainly along the trunks of trees. Arriving before deciduous trees have leafed out, the white-lored, shorter-billed subspecies finds food, mainly insects and spiders, deep in the crevices and beneath the loose shingles that form in sycamore trees. The Loblolly Pine specialists glean insects and spiders from the bark of this evergreen conifer. (Many other warbler species do not return to Maryland until deciduous trees have leafed out and are attracting the leaf-eating insects that these warblers depend on for food.)

Where to find:

In American Sycamore trees along the C&O Canal and in Loblolly Pine trees on the Coastal Plain.

Relationships:

Depending on the subspecies, Yellow-throated Warblers find food mainly on either American Sycamore or Loblolly Pine.

There are 294 records in the project database.

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Yellow-throated Warbler in Dorchester Co., Maryland (4/4/2024). (c) MarkinMD, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). - markinmd via iNaturalist.

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A Yellow-throated Warbler in Harford Co., Maryland (4/10/2014). Photo by Mark Johnson. (MBP list)

A Yellow-throated Warbler at Mouth of the Monacacy, Frederick Co., Maryland (5/20/2007). This is the sycamore-loving 'White-lored' form that is more expected as one leaves the coastal plain. Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

A Yellow-throated Warbler in Howard Co., Maryland (4/16/2017). Photo by Anthony VanSchoor. (MBP list)

A Yellow-throated Warbler in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (04/18/2014). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

A Yellow-throated Warbler in Harford Co., Maryland (4/23/2017). Photo by Matthew Addicks. (MBP list)

A Yellow-throated Warbler in Worcester Co., Maryland (4/29/2018). Photo by Jonathan Irons. (MBP list)

A typical 'Yellow-lored' (dominica) Yellow-throated Warbler in Charles Co., Maryland (5/9/2009). This is the subspecies associated with Loblolly Pine stands in southern Maryland and on the Eastern Shore. Note the yellow lore, the yellow throat with no white chin, and the long bill. This bird was singing on territory in the Nanjemoy area of Charles Co., Maryland, where it is the expected breeding subspecies (5/9/2009). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

A Yellow-throated Warbler in Howard Co., Maryland (4/2/2017). Photo by Anthony VanSchoor. (MBP list)

A Yellow-throated Warbler in Frederick Co., Maryland (4/13/2019). Photo by Mark Johnson. (MBP list)

A Yellow-throated Warbler in Worcester Co., Maryland (4/29/2018). Photo by Jonathan Irons. (MBP list)

Yellow-throated Warbler in Wicomico Co., Maryland (4/8/2022). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jonathan Irons. (MBP list)

A Yellow-throated Warbler in Worcester Co., Maryland (4/14/2013). Photo by Mike Burchett. (MBP list)

A yellow-lored Yellow-throated Warbler in Charles Co., Maryland (4/15/2012). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

A Yellow-throated Warbler in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (4/13/2014). Photo by Mark Johnson. (MBP list)

A Yellow-throated Warbler in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (9/7/2019). Photo by Jonathan Irons. (MBP list)

A Yellow-throated Warbler in Calvert Co., Maryland (4/16/2013). Photo by Mark Johnson. (MBP list)

A Yellow-throated Warbler in Worcester Co., Maryland (4/29/2018). Photo by Daniel Irons. (MBP list)

Yellow-throated Warbler in Calvert Co., Maryland (4/3/2021). (c) david mlr, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by david_mlr via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Yellow-throated Warbler in Carroll Co., Maryland (4/10/2013). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

A Yellow-throated Warbler in Worcester Co., Maryland (4/29/2018). Photo by Jonathan Irons. (MBP list)

A Yellow-throated Warbler in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (9/7/2019). Photo by Jonathan Irons. (MBP list)

A wintering Yellow-throated Warbler in Charles Co., Maryland (1/1/2009). This was documented during its third consecutive winter at the same location! Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Yellow-throated Warbler in Calvert Co., Maryland (5/2/2022). (c) Jason E. Avery, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jason Avery. (MBP list)

Yellow-throated Warbler in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (5/29/2022). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jonathan Irons. (MBP list)

A Yellow-throated Warbler in Harford Co., Maryland (4/17/2016). Photo by Matthew Addicks. (MBP list)

Yellow-throated Warbler in Worcester Co., Maryland (4/24/2016). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

A Yellow-throated Warbler in Howard Co., Maryland (4/4/2019). Photo by Anthony VanSchoor. (MBP list)

Yellow-throated Warbler in Kent Co., Maryland (9/8/2022). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jonathan Irons. (MBP list)

Yellow-throated Warbler in Worcester Co., Maryland (4/26/2009). (c) Bill Hubick, all rights reserved. Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Yellow-throated Warbler in Howard Co., Maryland (4/17/2015). Photo by Bonnie Ott. (MBP list)

A Yellow-throated Warbler in Somerset Co., Maryland (5/27/2018). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

Yellow-throated Warbler in Worcester Co., Maryland (5/23/2022). (c) danieltayloroc, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by danieltayloroc via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Yellow-throated Warbler in Charles Co., Maryland (9/7/2008). (c) Bill Hubick, all rights reserved. Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Yellow-throated Warbler in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (5/3/2008). (c) Bill Hubick, all rights reserved. Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

A Yellow-throated Warbler in Worcester Co., Maryland (4/5/2014). Photo by Scott Housten. (MBP list)

Yellow-throated Warbler in Wicomico Co., Maryland (5/2/2021). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Yellow-throated Warbler in Kent Co., Maryland (9/29/2022). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jonathan Irons via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Yellow-throated Warbler recorded in Howard Co., Maryland (4/8/2014). Photo by David Cummings. (MBP list)

Yellow-throated Warbler in Cecil Co., Maryland (8/4/2022). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jonathan Irons. (MBP list)


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