General

Black-throated Gray Warbler: Small warbler with black-marked, slate-gray upperparts, black streaks on flanks, and white underparts. Head has black hood and throat, sharply contrasting white eyebrow and cheek stripe, and yellow spot in front of eye. Wings are dark with two white bars. Female has white throat and thick, black eyestripe. Juvenile is similar to female but with less black.

Range and Habitat

Black-throated Gray Warbler: Breeds from southern British Columbia, Washington, Idaho, and Colorado southward. Spends winters in the southwest U.S. and Mexico. Preferred habitats include shrubby openings in coniferous forests or mixed woods, dry scrub oak, pinyon and juniper, chaparral, and other low brushy areas.

Breeding and Nesting

Black-throated Gray Warbler: Four to five white eggs, with brown and purple spots and blotches, are laid in a tightly woven plant-fiber cup in a bush or tree, usually less than 10 feet above the ground. Eggs are incubated for approximately 12 days by the female.

Foraging and Feeding

Black-throated Gray Warbler: Feeds mainly on insects such as moths, butterflies, beetles, and ants. Also eats leaf galls and a few spiders.

Vocalization

Black-throated Gray Warbler: Song is a series of buzzes, rising in pitch and intensity, and then falling: "zee zee zee zee bzz bzz." Call is a dull "tup."

Similar Species

Black-throated Gray Warbler: Black-and-white Warbler has more heavily streaked breast, striped crown, and prefers to forage on trunks and main branches of trees rather than in leaves and smaller twigs.