Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens), Upper Madera Canyon, Santa Cruz County

This Black-throated Green Warbler was found by Dale and Dee Toweill and Kathy Kuyper and photographed by Dale Toweill on 16 April 2014

Prior to 1990 there were about 30 records for Arizona, but it has been much scarcer since with only about a half dozen records. This pattern of decreased occurrence since 1990 is similar to that of several other northerly breeding eastern warblers that are much less common as vagrants to the state than previously. However, in the past few years several Black-throated Green Warblers have been documented, and the frequency of records of this species may be increasing.

In this plumage, Black-throated Green Warbler is distinctive. The extensive black throat, yellow face surrounding olive auriculars and the white underparts with black streaks down the sides separate it from similar species.

16 April 2014, photo by Dale Toweill

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