Bahama warbler explained

The Bahama warbler (Setophaga flavescens) is an endangered species of bird in the family Parulidae that is endemic to The Bahamas.

Taxonomy

The taxon was formerly lumped with the yellow-throated warbler (Setophaga dominica), until the Bahama warbler was elevated to full species in 2011, on the distinctions of that the Bahama warbler is restricted to pinewoods, possesses a longer bill, and has small variations in plumage color.^[1]

Distribution and habitat

It is endemic to Bahamian pineyards on Grand Bahama, Little Abaco and Great Abaco islands.^[2]

Behavior

The Bahama warbler forages amidst pine needles in the higher branches of pine forests, occasionally descending to forage in the shrubs of the understory. It also uses its long bill to probe under the bark of tree trunks in search of insects. No other warblers in the region feed along trunks as extensively as the Bahama warbler.^[3]

Notes and References

1. Chesser, R. Terry, Richard C. Banks, F. Keith Barker, Carla Cicero, Jon L. Dunn, Andrew W. Kratter, Irby J. Lovette, Pamela C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen, James D. Rising, Douglas F. Stotz, Kevin Winker. 2011. Fifty-second supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union Check-List of North American Birds. Auk 128(3):600-613.
2. Web site: Bahama Warblers on Abaco. 20 February 2021.
3. eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Available: https://ebird.org/caribbean/news/bahama-warbler