How to Watch Warblers in Fall Plumage

Before fall migration, many species of warblers lose their bright and distinctive breeding plumage and molt into drabber colors for the winter. Identifying these fall birds can be such a problem, Roger Tory Peterson actually included a section in some of his older field guides, called "Confusing Fall Warblers."

Difficulty: Moderately challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Pencils
• Pencils
• Small Notebooks To Carry In The Field
• Binoculars
• Binoculars
• Fanny Packs Or Backpack
• Spotting Scopes
• Pencils

1. Buy a book on warblers.

2. Study your field guide and become familiar with all of the warblers that will migrate into or through your area. Make special note of those that will molt into drabber plumage, called "basic" plumage, before they arrive.

3. Make a list of basic plumage field marks in warblers you might see, before you go birding. For example, in fall, the male Yellow-rumped ("Audubon's") Warbler loses its black chest and sides, but retains its yellow rump and to some extent, its yellow throat.

4. Keep in mind basic features that help identify the warbler in any plumage. These may include eye-rings, wing bars and overall size

5. Learn all you can about warbler habitats. For example, the Common Yellowthroat occurs most often in marshy or other moist habitats.

6. Watch for distinguishing behaviors. The American Redstart, for example, fans its tail and wings, and flutters down, butterfly-like.

7. Take a notebook with you into the field and make notes on birds you have trouble identifying. If you are careful in doing this, you should be able to identify the bird when sitting down later with your warbler book and your field notes.

8. Keep a list of the warblers you see and identify.

Tips & Warnings

• Knowing your warbler songs is of little help in fall, when birds have stopped singing after the breeding season. Familiarizing yourself with "chips," the call-notes of warblers, is more helpful at this time of year.
• Warblers eat insects, so will not be attracted to seed feeders. They might, however, drink at your hummingbird feeder or visit a birdbath.
• Don't be discouraged if you have problems at first. Learning to identify fall warblers is a skill that can take years to master.