General

Worm-eating Warbler: Medium-sized, ground nesting warbler with olive-gray upperparts and pale yellow underparts. Yellow head has black crown stripes and eye-lines. Sexes are similar.

Range and Habitat

Worm-eating Warbler: Breeds from southeastern Iowa, across the Ohio Valley, into the Mid-Atlantic states and southern New England, ranging into the southern states. Spends winters in the tropics from central Mexico, the Yucatan Peninsula, and the West Indies to areas south. Dry, wooded hillsides are the preferred habitat of this species.

Breeding and Nesting

Worm-eating Warbler: Four to six brown spotted or blotched, white eggs are laid in a ground nest made of dead leaves and lined with moss. Female incubates eggs for 13 days.

Foraging and Feeding

Worm-eating Warbler: Feeds on insects, especially caterpillars, spiders, and slugs; forages by walking, hopping, climbing, and hanging among leafy branches in shrubs and low trees.

Readily Eats

Sugar Water, Fruit, Nut Pieces

Vocalization

Worm-eating Warbler: Primary song is a simple, dry, high-pitched trill lasting about 2 seconds. Two calls regularly heard are "chip" and "tseet."

Similar Species

Worm-eating Warbler: Swainson's Warbler is larger, has longer bill, browner upperparts, and pale gray-brown underparts.