Palm Warbler Dendroica palmarum
Central Park, New York and Crandon Park, Miami

Despite a name redolent of balmy islands and coconuts, the Palm Warbler Dendroica palmarum winters farther north than most other warblers (primarily in the southern United States and northern Caribbean) and breeds in boggy forests - especially boggy spruce forests - across northern North America from Canada’s Northern Territories east to Newfoundland. Two forms occur: birds that breed in the western part of the range (nominate palmarum) have whitish bellies and are duller than those breeding in the eastern part of the range (hypochrysea) which are entirely yellow underneath.

Non-breeding adults and first-years are very similar (though non-breeding males apparently show a hint of the rufous cap and may have some yellow underneath, and immatures show more pointed retrices), but whatever plumage they’re currently in Palm Warblers should be quickly recognisable as they both constantly pump their tails and are more often found feeding on the ground - or peering from chain-link fencing - than any similar species (though as the image below shows they can look (and act) surprisingly like a waterthush on a quick glimpse - something birders searching for vagrant first-winters in Europe might bear in mind!). The tail-wagging will of course draw attention to the yellow undertail coverts, which in combination with the fine bill, small size, white throat and and pale supercilium make even juveniles relatively easy to identify.

Breeding-plumaged adult hypochrysea, New York, April

Miami, November

Miami, February

All photos copyright Charlie Moores