Magnolia Warbler
Learn to identify the Magnolia Warbler by ear. Master the "short buzzing phrases accelerating then ending abruptly" phrase and tell it apart from similar species.
What the Magnolia Warbler sounds like
The Magnolia Warbler is a small, strikingly patterned wood-warbler famed for its bold black streaking over a sunshine-yellow belly and its showy tail that flashes white in flight. Although the name suggests an affinity with magnolia trees, the species was merely first described from one; its true stronghold is in dense, young coniferous forests of the North and boreal edge.
“short buzzing phrases accelerating then ending abruptly”
How to tell it apart
Lessons featuring the Magnolia Warbler
Ready to test your ear? Practice identifying the Magnolia Warbler's sounds in this interactive in-app lesson.
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Where you'll hear it
Breeds in thick second-growth spruce, fir, and pine stands, often with a shrubby understory; during migration it frequents a wider variety of habitats, including deciduous woods, hedgerows, parks, and coastal scrub.
Arrives on breeding grounds from early May; peaks in migration mid-May and mid-September; nesting June–July with single broods; departs by early October.
Similar species
Canada Warbler
Canada Warbler lacks white tail flashes.
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Shows yellow patches on sides and rump, not present on Magnolia.
Kirtland's Warbler
Much larger with heavier bill.