

The Birds · Plate LI
Common Yellowthroat
Geothlypis trichas
Parulidae · Taxon 9721
| Length | 11–13 cm (4.3–5.1 in) |
| Wingspan | 15–19 cm (5.9–7.5 in) |
| Weight | 9–11 g (0.3–0.4 oz) |
Field marks
- Small, rounded-headed warbler with a plump belly and medium-long, slightly rounded tail.
- Adult male has a broad black face mask, cleanly edged above by a narrow pale gray-white band.
- Underparts are bright yellow, strongest on the throat and breast; undertail coverts are yellow.
- Upperparts, wings, and tail are olive to olive-brown; wings are plain, without obvious wing bars.
- Female is plainer olive-brown above with yellow on the throat and breast, and lacks the black mask.
- Fine, pointed dark bill; dark eye and slender pale pinkish legs.
HabitatDense, low vegetation in marshes, wet thickets, scrub, brushy field edges, and similar tangled cover; also uses grasslands and open woodland with thick understory.
BehaviorA secretive, active foliage-gleaner that usually stays low in dense cover, searching leaves and stems for insects and spiders; males often sing from a more exposed perch.
Palette