Worm-eating Warblers

Worm-eating Warblers keep me company as I hike on my mountain, letting me know that they’re on the trails with me with their song. It’s a trill, sounding like an insect, and quite similar to the song of the Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina).

They are birds that are in the eastern US for only the breeding season. During the winter they seek the warmer locations of southern Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America.

Their name is a bit misleading. They don’t eat Earthworms but mostly eat caterpillars and grubs supplementing those with slugs, spiders, and insects.

I enjoy that they love birdbaths so much, giving me an opportunity to see them out in the open rather than getting a too brief glance while they’re up in the trees hiding among the leaves.

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Brenda Clements Jones

Brenda is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist, a Habitat Defender for Shenandoah National Park, and a devoted fan of Mother Nature. She lives in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park, and hikes up to the higher elevations of her mountain often to see what nature is up to. Her constant hiking companion is a camera that captures nature as it unfolds through the seasons. It’s her goal to share the natural world around her through her photographs.

2 thoughts on “Worm-eating Warblers”

  1. Good morning Brenda. Very pretty bird, don’t think I have ever seen one.
    Have a wonderful Sunday!

    1. Hi Joyce! I love getting your comments!

      I often hear these birds but seldom see them. The birdbath is what brings them out into the open. It has helped me to know that they around, learning their song. But then, is it a Worm-eating Warbler, or is it a Chipping Sparrow. They’re both around. So far I’m not able to tell them apart. Give me time — MAYBE I’ll figure it out!

      Hoping you guys are managing to stay cool! Bill and I are out and starting our hikes at 7 or 7:30 to beat the heat.

      Looking forward to seeing you on Tuesday!
      Bren

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