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Arctic Warbler

Silhouette Old World WarblersOld World Warblers
Arctic WarblerPhylloscopus borealis
  • ORDER: Passeriformes
  • FAMILY: Phylloscopidae

Basic Description

The Arctic Warbler is a brownish olive warbler with a prominent cream-colored eyebrow. It is in the Eurasian leaf warbler family (Phylloscopidae) and unrelated to the other warbler species that occur in North America (Parulidae). Arctic Warblers forage restlessly through the leaves of trees and shrubs, searching for caterpillars. In Alaska, the species breeds in wet, shrubby areas, where its trilling song is reminiscent of species such as Orange-crowned and Wilson’s Warblers. In fall, these birds migrate across the Bering Strait to winter in Southeast Asia.

More ID Info
image of range map for Arctic Warbler
Year-roundBreedingMigrationNonbreeding
Range map provided by Birds of the World
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Find This Bird

The best way to see an Arctic Warbler is to head to Alaska (or northern Eurasia) and search for singing males during June or early July. Males return to breeding grounds in early or mid-June, and the breeding season is short. They sing mostly from exposed perches in wet, shrubby areas, but can be difficult to see in dense cover. Bring mosquito repellent and netting for this habitat in summer!

Other Names

  • Mosquitero Boreal (Spanish)
  • Pouillot boréal (French)
  • Cool Facts