Ovenbird
Seiurus aurocapilla
Secretive warbler that lacks vibrant colors, but compensates with an enormous voice. Olive-brown above with black streaks on white breast and bold white eyering. Orange central crown stripe bordered by black on either side. Forages for insects by walking along branches and on the ground with exaggerated footsteps and bobbing gait. Breeds primarily in areas with extensive deciduous or mixed forest. Winters primarily in Middle America and the Caribbean, where it can be quiet and difficult to detect. On the breeding grounds, listen for its loud song that builds in volume: “tea-cher, TEA-cher, TEA-CHER!”; also gives a sharp, high-pitched, metallic chip year-round. Possible to confuse with thrushes, but smaller, and walks instead of hops.
Identification
Ovenbirds are large wood warblers and may sometimes be confused by the untrained for a thrush. Adults measure 11–16 cm (4.3–6.3 in) long and span 19–26 cm (7.5–10.2 in) across the wings. They weigh 19 g (0.67 oz) on average, with a range of 14–28.8 g (0.49–1.02 oz). Among standard measurements, the wing chord is 6.8 to 8.3 cm (2.7 to 3.3 in), the tail is 5 to 5.8 cm (2.0 to 2.3 in), the bill is 1.1 to 1.3 cm (0.43 to 0.51 in) and the tarsus is 2 to 2.3 cm (0.79 to 0.91 in). They tend to be heavier in winter and particularly at the start of their migration. They have olive-brown upperparts and white underparts heavily streaked with black; the flanks have an olive hue. A white ring surrounds the eyes, and a black stripe runs below the cheek. They have a line of orange feathers with olive-green tips running along the top of their head, bordered on each side with blackish-brown. The orange feathers can be erected to form a small crest. The eyes and the upper part of the thin pointed beak are dark, while the lower beak is horn-colored and the legs and feet are pinkish.<p>Males and females look alike. Immature birds have tawny fringes to the tertiary remiges and sometimes buff-tipped outer primary wing coverts. Most conspicuously, the olive-green tips of the crown feathers, which are hardly visible in adult birds, are far larger in extent in immatures and cover the orange crown-stripe almost or completely.<p>The main song of the ovenbird is a series of strident, relatively low-pitched, bisyallabic motives repeated without pause about eight times and increasing in volume. Usually, the second syllable in each motive is sharply accented: "chur-tee’ chur-tee’ chur-tee’ chur-tee’ chur-TEE chur-TEE chur-TEE!" Male ovenbirds utter a sweet chattering song in the air at twilight, after the manner of the skylark, incorporating portions of the main song into a jumble of sputtering notes and mimicry as they dive back to earth. The call is a variably pitched, sharp "chik!" Some variations recall the common call note of a downy woodpecker. If the bird is excited, it may repeat this call several times. The fight call is a high, rising siiii.
Taxonomy
The genus Seiurus is currently treated as monotypic, containing only the ovenbird; it is genetically distinct from all other species in the family Parulidae, probably the first genus to evolve separately from the rest of the family.<p>Before the recent genetic studies were carried out, the waterthrushes were also included in Seiurus; these are now treated separately in the genus Parkesia as they are not very closely related to the ovenbird.<p>The species name aurocapilla is a noun phrase, so the original spelling is retained, not changed according to the gender of the genus name; Linnaeus originally named it Motacilla aurocapilla, and the ending is not changed to -us as commonly cited in the past. Etymologically aurocapilla comes from Latin and means "golden haired" and Seiurus is from Ancient Greek seiō, "to shake", and oura, "tail".
- Scientific name
- Seiurus aurocapilla
- Authority
- (Linnaeus, 1766)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Parulidae
- Genus
- Seiurus
Range and habitat
Breeding range: NA : n, c, e. Non-breeding range: MA, West Indies and n SA.
- Breeding range
- NA : n, c, e
- Non-breeding range
- MA, West Indies and n SA
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Behavior
Migration pattern: Complete migrants.
Conservation
Population trend: stable.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Plain Antvireo
Dysithamnus mentalis
Antvireos, as the name, suggests, resemble vireos, with rather heavy bills and shortish tails. This species inhabits open understory in humid forest of tropical lowlands and foothills. Usually found as sluggish singles or pairs, at times moving with mixed-species feeding flocks. Male has gray face and breast with a broad dark mask. Female has rusty cap and plain face and breast with a whitish eyering.
Wedge-tailed Jery
Hartertula flavoviridis
Small, dark understory tetraka. Has yellowish underparts and a gray ear patch. Active bird that often pokes into clusters of dead leaves. Frequently joins flocks with tetrakas and other birds. Most common vocalization is an explosive up-and-down series of high-pitched notes. Larger, longer-tailed, and with darker underparts than other jeries. Unlike Cryptic Warbler, inhabits the understory, is much darker, and has a gray ear patch. Unlike Rand’s Warbler, has an indistinct eye-stripe and a greenish back.
Dusky-cheeked Foliage-gleaner
Anabazenops dorsalis
Also known as Bamboo Foliage-gleaner for good reason; it is almost exclusively found in extensive bamboo groves, where it forages singly or in pairs. Warm brown overall; clean olive-and-white facial pattern with a white throat is distinctive. Listen for its song, a steady, even-paced series of “chock” notes.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.