Photo by Isidor Jeklin

Adult: The male Common Yellow-throat is easily identified by his bold white-bordered mask, which gives him a jaunty look. His olive brown back seems to brighten the yellow throat and breast (and the birder's day!). The belly and undertail coverts are pale yellow, visible when the Yellow-throat cocks his tail in Marsh Wren fashion.

The olive face of the female yellow-throat is highlighted with a white eye ring. Her plumage is like her mate's, but drab in comparison.

Immature: Young Yellow-throats are dull brown overall, but the male's face bears a drab suggestion of the black mask which will come with maturity.

Habitat: The Common Yellow-throat's loud "giveaway" song  -- wichety, wichety, wichety, wichety -- resounds across agricultural environments, marshes and wet prairies, in mixed pine-hardwood forests and mesic hammocks. Listen for the hoarse tchurr call, similar to the Marsh Wren's.

The Common Yellow-throat is a Florida resident, widespread throughout the state. It breeds from April through June. Wintering yellow-throats and migrants swell the resident populations.

Text by Mary Jean Rogers, West Volusia Audubon