Louisiana Waterthrush
Learn to identify the Louisiana Waterthrush by ear. Master the "slurred whistles, chippy jumble" phrase and tell it apart from similar species.
What the Louisiana Waterthrush sounds like
A loud, ringing series of 3–10 clear, descending whistles that accelerate into a jumble of twitters or chips. Given from streamside perches and during flight displays.
How to tell it apart
Where you'll hear it
Breeds from the Great Plains eastward to the Atlantic in the United States and southern Canada; winters from southern Mexico through Central America to northern South America and the Caribbean.
Shaded, mature deciduous or mixed forests with clear, swift streams, ravines and seepages; in winter it frequents tropical forest streams, mangroves and shaded coffee plantations.
Among the earliest wood-warblers to arrive on breeding grounds (late March–April). Nests April–July. Southbound migration begins mid-July, with most gone by late September.
How to recognize it by sight
The Louisiana Waterthrush is a large, stream-loving member of the wood-warbler family that often resembles a small thrush. It walks rather than hops, constantly bobbing its rear as it patrols the edges of clear, fast-moving woodland streams in search of prey. Its bold white eyebrow, clean underparts and ringing song are hallmarks of spring along eastern North American waterways.