Acadia National Park

Description  SPRING ADULT Eastern breeder has mostly olive-buff upperparts with faint streaking on back and two very faint, pale wing bars. Head has extensive chestnut crown, yellow supercilium, olive cheeks, and yellow throat with dark malar stripe; underparts are otherwise bright yellow, with rufous streaks on flanks. Western breeder has grayer back and wings; yellow is restricted to throat and undertail coverts. FALL ADULT AND IMMATURE Less colorful than their respective spring adult counterparts, lack rufous crown and streaks on flanks, are only lightly streaked above and have faint buff wing bars. Eastern breeder has yellowish supercilium and yellow wash to underparts; western breeder has white supercilium and gray underparts except for yellow undertail coverts.

Dimensions  Length: 5 1/2" (14 cm)

Habitat  Common summer visitor (May-Aug) to boreal forests, particularly spruce bogs; eastern breeders occur in northeastern Canada and New England, western breeders nest across central Canada. Birds from all areas winter in southeastern U.S. and Caribbean.

Observation Tips  Easy to see.

Range  Southeast, Rocky Mountains, Texas, Great Lakes, California, Plains, Southwest, Western Canada, New England, Florida, Northwest, Mid-Atlantic, Eastern Canada, Alaska

Voice  Song is a buzzing trill; call is a sharp tchik.

Discussion  Often feeds on ground and pumps tail. Male is subtly brighter than female. Geographical variation exists in plumage: eastern breeders are brighter and yellower than their western counterparts.