photo by Phil Swanson

Oporornis formosus
L 5 1/4″ (13 cm).

Song or calls:
Song is series of rolling musical “churry churry churry” notes; similar to Carolina Wren.

Description: Short-tailed and long-legged. Bright olive upperparts; completely bright yellow underparts; bold yellow spectacles separate black crown from black on face and sides of neck. Black areas are duller on female.

Behavior: Nests and feeds on the ground in dense undergrowth.

Habitat: Found in rich, moist woodlands, ravines, and bottomlands.

Where in Nebraska: Rare to uncommon spring and fall migrant in southeastern Nebraska, and summer resident in lower part of Missouri Valley, north to Sarpy County.

Fun Facts: They prefer dense understory woodlands for habitat, but increasing numbers of foraging deer are decreasing their available habitat.

 
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