Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens), Hassayampa Rest Area, Maricopa County

This Black-throated Green Warbler was found and photographed by Carl Lundblad on 24 December 2016

Prior to 1990 there were about 30 records for Arizona, but it has been much scarcer since with only 14 ABC accepted records with 2 more pending, all but two are from southeast Arizona. 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. 

"Black-throated" Setophaga type warbler with bright yellow face with dull olive auriculars, unstreaked green mantle, bold dark gray streaking along flanks on otherwise mostly-white underparts except for a slight yellowish wash and much brighter yellow wash on vent area. Flank streaks running into large black patch on upper breast extending onto throat, but not fully filled in as in an adult male. Gray wings with 2 bold white wing bars each.

24 December 2016, photo by Carl Lundblad

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