TAXONOMY
Chestnut-sided Warblers are passerines in the family Parulidae which
consists of New World Warblers. An adult Chestnut-sided Warbler has a
yellow crown with a chestnut colored side. They have a black eye line and
black moustache. The female does not have as distinct or vivid
chestnut side. Both male and female Chestnut-sided Warblers have yellow wing
bars. They are 11-14cm and weigh 8-10 grams.
HABITAT/DIET
Chestnut-sided Warblers can be found in
second growth deciduous forests and in bushy pastures. This means that they
are especially common in early successional clear cut areas and abandoned
farmlands. This warbler feeds
primarily on insects and eats insects that are potentially harmful to crops, helping farmers.
The warblers will eat some fruit especially during fall migration and this
warbler species will usually be found foraging alone gleaning insects from
underneath leaves.
BEHAVIOR
The Chestnut-sided Warbler is highly
territorial during the breeding season. It is a nocturnal migrant and may
join up with other flocks and forage with them. It can be found hopping on
the ground and through foliage.
Chestnut-sided Warblers
are monogamous
and pairs raise at least one brood per year with some birds re-nesting. The
Chestnut-sided Warbler female builds a cup nest out of
grass, bark, and plant stems that the females will build
entirely by themselves. The average clutch size is four
eggs which the female incubates for
12-13 days. The young are born altricial which means
that they are blind, immobile and helpless. Both parents
tend young which fledge 10-12 days after hatching.
