Blackburnian Warbler

As Confusing Fall Warblers go, Blackburnian Warblers, with their dark cheeks and relatively bright yellow throats and eye-stripes, are fairly striking. Blackburnians used to be in the genus Dendroica. Recent DNA studies conclude that all the Dendroica are closely related to redstarts, Setophaga. Due to taxonomic rules that the first name for a species has priority, all the Dendroica are now merged into Setophaga. Other warblers, Wilsonia and Parula, have also joined Setophaga. By whatever name, Blackburnian Warblers breed from western Canada to the Maritime Provinces. They also nest in northern Minnesota and the northeastern tier of the United States. From New England they breed south through the mountains to Georgia. They winter in Central and South America.