Yellow-breasted Chat
|
|
| Yellow-breasted Chat | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missing image YellowbreastedChat23.jpg Photo: Large Warbler | ||||||||||||||
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
| Binomial name | ||||||||||||||
| Icteria virens (Linnaeus,, 1758) |
The Yellow-breasted Chat, Icteria virens, is a large songbird, the most atypical member of the New World warbler family.
These birds have olive upperparts with a white belly and a yellow throat and breast; they have a long tail, a thick heavy bill, a large white eye ring and dark legs.
Their breeding habitat is the dense brushy areas in southern parts of Canada and most of the United States to central Mexico. The nest is an large open cup placed in thick shrubs.
Most birds migrate to Mexico and Central America. Some birds may overwinter in coastal areas.
They forage in dense vegetation, sometimes holding food with their feet; these birds eat insects and berries.
The song of this bird is an odd mixture of cackles, clucks, whistles and hoots. The call is a harsh chak. This bird is somewhat secretive, but usually sings from exposed locations.
This bird's numbers are declining in eastern North America due to habitat loss.