Black-throated green warbler – murmuring the trees

Louis Agassiz Fuertes

The latest handsome, albeit tiny, arrival to New England is the Black-throated green warbler. A mid-tree bird fond of evergreen and hemlocks, this warbler can be heard signing a distinctive summer song throughout New England. With both a wheezy, “trees-trees-murmuring-trees” and a buzzy, “zee-zee-zee-zee-zoo-zee” the Black-throated green warbler, like most warblers is often first heard, than seen. With a non-descript back, two white wing bars, and yellow head. The giveaway for breeding males is the contrasting bright yellow head and black chin and throat, as well as the white outer tail feathers often seen in flight. Listen for the buzzy, repetitive, song zeeing and zooing from the treetops.