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Tennessee & Magnolia warblers

Oreothlypis peregrina / Setophaga magnolia

Photo by KarenL
Published on Project Noah
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35.8975, -86.8911

Field Notes

Notes:

These little guys were foraging in a thicket & I waited about 15 minutes to get a clear shot. The bird on the right appeared in the open for a split second & I manage to get this single photo. It was only when I downloaded the image I that I realized there was a 2nd bird in the shot.

Reference Links:

Tennessee Warbler, Magnolia Warbler

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (12)
KarenL
I've been on a couple of walks with the local birders & it seems that both these species are common round here at the moment but I've been reliably informed they will soon be overtaken by yellow-rumps! The regular birders are of course able to id most species within seconds & rarely need to consult their field guides. I however am very new to this & all I see is lots of small yellow birds!
Darwin26
They seem to be two different species to me as well. I had some leaning to the Tennessee (female i presume) on the left but the 2 authortative books do not reference its migratory flow into your area...and i'd a picked Magnolia as its gestalt seemed to fit... However, it's great to have a local who knows the migration stats 'cause again the books i use don't show these particular migration locations. Sibley is good for that. i generally use National Geograpic Field Guide 5th ed. and Sibleys in the field; (Sibley's is so compact) and Nat'l Geo Complete Birds of North America, and Stokes Field Guide to Birds at home; It helps to have a variety of birding books. Then too, things shift and erupt and you can find the UnExPected...
KarenL
I sent the photo to a contact of mine who's a member of the Tennessee Ornithological Society as he knows what is migrating through here at the moment. He has ID'd them as a Tennessee warbler (on the left) & a Magnolia (you were right Ava!). I'm very excited as these are both species I've not seen in our yard before!
auntnance123
I'm guessng pine on the right (the light around the eye and wing bars) then Tennessee warbler on the left (sort of green, faint wing bars, light stripe above eye )
KarenL
Could be, they do look similar but the one of the right looks very yellow for the pine warbler. The one on the left doesn't have a 'necklace' like the magnolias but I can't tell if the other one has or not. As you say William, this is a challenge!
Darwin26
this is a bit tuff ~ i'm guessing Pine Warbler?
KarenL
Thanks Ava! I hadn't seen many warblers round here until the fall migration started. They are hard to id & to photograph because they rarely seem to come out into the open & they are always on the move!
Ava T-B
It could be a first winter Magnolia Warbler, or not. Some warblers regularly hybridize which makes them hard to identify. And thy're so hard to spot; it's great that you got such a good picture!
KarenL
Or maybe a sub-adult female northern parula?

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Birds of the World
Mission
Fall Into Phenology
Mission
Backyard Birding Southeastern USA
Mission
Global Flight
Mission
Wildlife of Goose Creek

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Photographed
PublishedOctober 10, 2011

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