Golden-cheeked Warbler

Dendroica chrysopariaOrder: PASSERIFORMES Family: Wood Warblers (Parulidae)

Codes: Common Name: GCWA Scientific Name: DENCHR ITIS Taxonomic No.: 178901

Birdman Mel's Backyard Tips

Overview

Golden-cheeked Warbler: Medium warbler, black upperparts, white underparts with thick black streaks on sides. Head has black cap and throat, bright yellow face, and black eye-line. Wings are dark with two white bars. black bill, legs and feet. The only bird with a breeding range confined to Texas.

Range and Habitat

Golden-cheeked Warbler: Breeds in south-central Texas, in oak-juniper woodlands; loss of this habitat has resulted in the species being placed on the U.S. Endangered Species List. Spends winters south of the U.S.-Mexico border. Preferred habitats include rocky hillsides covered with juniper.

Topo Map: Perching-like Body

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"bzzz-layzee-dayzee", "tweeah-tweeah-tweesy"

Interesting Facts

The Golden-cheeked Warbler is the only bird species with a breeding range confined to Texas.

It is one of the most at-risk species in North America.

They are endangered because many tall juniper and oak woodlands have been cleared to build houses, roads, and stores. Some habitat was cleared to grow crops or grass for livestock. Other habitat areas were flooded when large lakes were built.

A group of warblers has many collective nouns, including a "bouquet", "confusion", "fall", and "wrench" of warblers.

Bird Term Glossary

Author

Gary Owen Dick

Artist

Imran Kahn

Percevia^® Registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

The Percevia field guides, database and search protocol patent pending.

The best bird guide and bird watching search engine to identify birds!

Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

Golden-cheeked Warbler

● Song: "bzzz-layzee-dayzee", "tweeah-tweeah-tweesy"

● Foraging & Feeding: Golden-cheeked Warbler: Eats beetles, caterpillars, deer flies, and spiders; forages in trees and shrubs.

● Breeding & nesting: Golden-cheeked Warbler: Three to five white eggs with brown and gray spots and flecks are laid in a cup of bark strips, grass, and cobwebs, and built in a juniper. Eggs are incubated for approximately 12 days by the female.

● Similar species: Golden-cheeked Warbler: Black-throated Green and Townsend's warblers have darker cheeks without distinct eye-lines.

Flight Pattern

Weak flight on rapidly beating wings.

Golden-cheeked Warbler Body Illustration

● Range & Habitat: Golden-cheeked Warbler: Breeds in south-central Texas, in oak-juniper woodlands; loss of this habitat has resulted in the species being placed on the U.S. Endangered Species List. Spends winters south of the U.S.-Mexico border. Preferred habitats include rocky hillsides covered with juniper.

^BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester

^PopulationEndangered in limited range in U.S., Rare

^MigrationMigratory

^Weight0.4 Ounces

Perching-like Body

Underparts

Belly, undertail coverts, chest, flanks, and foreneck.

Upperparts

Back, rump, hindneck, wings, and crown.

Cap

The area on top of the head of the bird.

Face

The front part of the head consisting of the bill, eyes, cheeks and chin.

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Field Guide to Birds of North America