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Location: Mission Trails Regional Park, San Diego, CA
Date: 2005-04-25
Lens: Canon 400mm F5.6
Date: 2005-04-25
Lens: Canon 400mm F5.6
Common Yellowthroat
Geothlypis trichas
DescriptionThese pretty little birds can be seen jumping from reed to reed amoungst the cattails. They drink and forage along the waters edge. To prevent predators from finding their nest, they sneak along the ground through the grass and weeds, deliver the food, and then depart via another route. Common Yellowthroats have a witchity-witchity-witchity call.
Bright yellow chin, throat, breast, and belly. Large black mask around forehead and eye region with white border along top of mask. Olive-brown upperbody. Black mandibles. Females and young males lack black mask. 4.5 to 6 inches in length.
Thickets and grassy marshes (freshwater). Often found among cattail reeds.
Nesting3-5 eggs with brown and black spots. They have a 12 day incubation period. Fledging occurs 10 days after hatching. The nest is an open cup of grass, sedge, and bark. It is usually lined with rootlets, hair, and fine grass. The nest is hidden on or near the ground amoung weeds or grass.
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