Warbler

warbler, name applied in the New World to members of the wood warbler family (Parulidae) and in the Old World to a large family (Sylviidae) of small, drab, active songsters, including the hedge sparrow, the kinglet, and the tailorbird of SE Asia, Orthotomus sutorius, named for its habit of sewing leaves together to make its nest. The American warblers number 119 species of small, generally insectivorous birds of mediocre singing ability. Those found in North America are migratory, spending only the summer north of tropical regions. They are brightly plumed in the spring, usually yellow marked with black, gray, olive green, or white, but after the autumn molt they become uniformly drab. Most are arboreal insect catchers; some, e.g., the black-and-white, the yellow-throated, and the pine warblers, crawl on trees like nuthatches and are sometimes called creepers, e.g., the honey creeper of tropical America. Best known are the yellow warbler, or summer yellowbird (also called wild canary), which often nests in gardens; the myrtle warbler, with a yellow rump patch, found along the Massachusetts coast; the redstart and Blackburnian warblers, both with vivid black and orange plumage; the Maryland yellowthroat, with a distinctive black mask; the black-throated blue and green warblers; and the pileolated, or Wilson's, warbler. There are a few exceptions to the generally low level of vocal ability in the New World warblers. The yellow-breasted chat, the largest (7 1-2 in./18.8 cm) of the warblers, is an excellent singer and mimic. The North American ovenbird, which looks like a miniature thrush, has a melodious flight song and is not to be confused with the true ovenbirds, which belong to the family Furnariidae. The water thrush is also a superior singer. Most warblers build open, cup-shaped nests at moderate heights; they are favored victims of the parasitic cowbird. Warblers are unusual in that they hybridize. They are of inestimable value as destroyers of insect enemies of forest trees. Warblers are classified in the phylum Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata, class Aves, order Passeriformes, families Parulidae and Sylviidae.

---

warbler

Any songbird of almost 350 Old World species (family Sylviidae) or about 120 New World species (family Parulidae, see wood warbler). Old World warblers, found in gardens, woodlands, and marshes, have a slender bill adapted for gleaning insects from foliage. They occur mainly from Europe and Asia to Africa and Australia, but a few (e.g., the gnatcatcher) live in the Americas. They are drab greenish, brownish, or black and 3.5–10 in. (9–26 cm) long. See also blackcap, blackpoll warbler, gnatcatcher, wood warbler.

---

warbler

1. a person or thing that warbles

2. any small active passerine songbird of the Old World subfamily Sylviinae: family Muscicapidae. They have a cryptic plumage and slender bill and are arboreal insectivores

3. any small bird of the American family Parulidae, similar to the Old World forms but often brightly coloured

---

Warbler 

the name of several genera of small songbirds of the family Sylviidae. These genera include Acrocephalus, Locustella, Phragmaticola, Cettia, and Horeites. The plumage above is brownish and monochromatic or striped; the underside is lighter in color. Males and females are colored alike.

Warblers are found throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa. Inthe USSR there are approximately 20 species, distributed in allzones except the tundra. Many species dwell in shrub thickets orin waterside reeds; some species live in forests or gardens. War-blers are migratory birds. Their nests are usually open; however, sometimes they have roofs. The nests are built in shrubs andreeds or, less often, on the ground. The clutch contains betweenfour and six eggs. Warblers feed on insects, spiders, and smallmollusks.