photo by Phil Swanson

Dendroica pensylvanica
L 5″ (13 cm).

Song or calls:
Song is whistled “please please pleased to meetcha.”

Description: Brownish-black above with bold streaking; yellow crown; black eye line and whisker stripe; chestnut streaking on sides; and two pale yellow wing bars. Female is slightly duller than male, and has less chestnut on sides. Fall adults and immatures are lime green above; have little or no streaking on back or sides; whitish underparts.

Behavior: Has a habit of frequently cocking its tail.

Habitat: Migrants found in thickets along woodland edges. Often nest in low shrubbery, briar thickets, forest clearings or edges, and overgrown pastures.

Where in Nebraska: Uncommon spring and fall migrant in eastern Nebraska, becoming rarer westwardly. Has bred at least twice in the state.

Fun Facts: Recent DNA studies indicate that this species is a close relative to the yellow warbler