Canada warbler

Canada warbler photographed in Manitoba

The Canada warbler is a bird that you hear first, a bright, jumbled song from the thick undergrowth of a damp woodland. When it appears, it is a clean grey-blue above and bright yellow below, with a necklace of dark streaks across the chest and a bold ring around the eye.

It nests on or near the ground in shady, moist forest with a dense understory. It is a late arrival in spring and an early departure in fall, spending only about three months in Canada before flying to northern South America. Its numbers have dropped across its range, so every sighting is a reminder of how much it depends on healthy forests at both ends of its journey.

I love the necklace of fine dark streaks across the yellow chest of a Canada warbler, and its bold white eye-ring.

For more on the Canada warbler and its habitat, see its species guide at All About Birds.

Canada warbler Manitoba sightings

Where and when you can find the canada warbler in Manitoba depends on the season and the habitat. You can see more species in the Manitoba birds section.

Map of Manitoba showing where the canada warbler nests and migrates, with major cities and lakes
Where to look for the canada warbler in Manitoba through the seasons: nesting in the Boreal Shield and the Boreal Plains (gold) and passing through the Prairies in spring and fall (lilac). Habitat regions: National Ecological Framework for Canada. Boundaries: Statistics Canada. Lakes: Natural Earth.

Back to Manitoba bird photography, or see the portfolio.

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