Bay-breasted Warbler  Dendroica castania
Copyright Mark Tiefenbach                              Deep Brook Nature Photography
Copyright Mark Tiefenbach                              Deep Brook Nature Photography.
Copyright Mark Tiefenbach                              Deep Brook Nature Photography.
Bay-breasted Warbler
Dendroica castania

A large Warbler of the northern spruce forests, the Bay-breasted Warbler also benefits from the outbreaks of the spruce budworm when caterpillars provide an abundant food source. 
The Bay-breasted Warbler is closely related to the Blackpoll Warbler, and hybrids between the two species are known.  The Bay-breasted Warbler is known to hybrid also with Yellow-rumped and Blackburnian warblers.
It breeds in preferably in coniferous forests in thick stands of spruce and fir, but can also be found in mixed forests of birches, maples, firs and pines.
It forages for insects and caterpillars mainly in the mid level of the forest and does so slower than most warblers in the Dendroica family.

8x12 print
8x12 print