Common Yellowthroat
Trick question: what color is the yellowthroat's throat?
The common yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) is a beautiful warbler that measures between 4 and 5 1/2 inches in length. There are four varieties of adult males. The Eastern family is dark brown with a grayish frontal band and sometimes a broken, whitish eye ring. The birds from the Western interior are paler and grayer, with limited yellow on the throat and a whitish frontal band. The Southwest version is a slightly larger bird. They are a bright olive color and have an all-yellow underside. The black mask may be a reduced size behind the ear coverts, which are tinged with yellow. The Pacific yellowthroats are small, dark brown birds with white frontal bands and yellow below.
This article is from the Fall 2011 issue. For more information on our issues, check out our issues page.
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