April 29, 2019 6:35 pm
The Pine Warbler Setophaga pinus is one of 5 year-round resident warblers on Abaco. The other 33 warbler species (including the recently recorded CANADA WARBLER) are migratory and at this time of year they will be in their summer breeding grounds. The co-resident warblers are the 2 endemics – Bahama warbler and Bahama Yellowthroat – plus the olive-capped warbler and the yellow warbler. You can see all 5 HERE. In fact, all are to be envied and admired. First, they are all bright, attractive birds. Secondly, they live in the Bahamas all year round, without needing to undertake a long exhausting flight twice a year, unlike the rest of their warbler compadres. And indeed, unlike many of the human inhabitants of Abaco.
As the name strongly hints, the pine warbler is primarily a bird of the pine forests, of which Abaco has an abundance. The tall, straight trees were a vital local source of timber (cf SAWMILL SINK). As a historical note, felled pines were also exported to the UK to be made into the strong pit-props needed for coal-mines.
Q. WHAT IS THE NORMAL RANGE OF THIS BIRD? A. THIS IS!
Pine warblers have a broad diet and forage methodically. Pine cones are a fertile source for food, and those robust, stabby, slightly down-curved beaks are ideal for getting the seeds out of the cones. Equally, these warblers use their beaks to prise out insects from the rough pine trunks and branches.
WHAT OF THEIR NIDIFICATION?
The pine forest is obviously the preferred nesting habitat for these birds. On Abaco there are vast acres of forest for them, but the warblers also nest in the smaller groups of pines found (for example) in or near some of the settlements; or around the edges of former sugar cane fields and the like. One nesting habit is slightly unusual – pine warblers tend to build their nests near the end of branches rather than near the trunk, a position that seems far less secure. Milton Harris has helpfully pointed out: “One theory on pine warbler nest location is that they are safer from predators by building at the end of a small branch. Some other birds do the same.”
DO YOU HAVE ANY ‘FUN FACTS’?
MUSICAL TRILL Paul Driver / Xeno Canto
SLURRED CHIP Don Jones / Xeno-Canto
Photo Credits: Bruce Hallett (1, 3, 6); Alex Hughes (2); Tom Reed (4); Tom Sheley (5); Dick Daniels (7); Wiki (range map); Nat Geo (species drawings); Paul Driver / Xeno Canto – call; Don Jones / Xeno Canto – chips
Posted by Rolling Harbour
Categories: Abaco Birds, Abaco Wildlife, Bahamas Birds, Birding Abaco, Caribbean Birds, Warblers Bahamas
Tags: Abaco Birds, Abaco Resident Warblers, Bahamas Birds, Bruce Hallett, Pine Warbler Abaco, Pine Warbler Bahamas, Pine Warbler Nesting, Pine warbler range map, Pine Warbler song call, Setophaga pinus Abaco Bahamas
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[…] resident warblers (33 others are migratory), the other 3 being the OLIVE-CAPPED, YELLOW, and PINE […]
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By BAHAMA WARBLER: ABACO’S ENDEMIC RESIDENT | THE BIRDS OF ABACO on December 9, 2019 at 7:55 pm
Precious!
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By cindy knoke on April 29, 2019 at 10:19 pm