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Northern Parula Sings From on High
This varicolored warbler is often easier to hear than see.
© Mick Thompson
The Northern Parula is a tiny bird with a big personality. These colorful warblers spend their days in search of tasty insects high up in the forest canopy of woodlands in North America. To get a good look, first try listening for their unmistakable vocal feats!
This episode is sponsored by Gary and Liz Kennedy Ketcheson, who are grateful to BirdNote for introducing us to wonderful stories about birds from around the world, like the beautiful Northern Parula.
BirdNote®
Northern Parulas Sing From on High
Written by Ariana Remmel
This is BirdNote.
[Northern Parula song]
The Northern Parula is a tiny bird with a big personality. Weighing barely more than a nickel, these North American warblers spend their days in search of tasty insects high up in the forest canopy.
The Northern Parula has a bright yellow throat and white belly. Their upper parts are slate grey except for an olive green patch that sits between their wings like a backpack. Males also sport a handsome, chestnut-colored breast band.
To get a good look at this varicolored wonder, first try listening for their unmistakable vocal feats. Like this upward trill ending with a punchy note, a bit like pulling a zipper.
[Northern Parula song]
Or a repeating series of boisterous buzzy phrases.
[Northern Parula song]
During the breeding season, males belt out these songs to find a mate and defend territory in the forests of the eastern U.S. and Canada. Meanwhile, females build small nests by hollowing out clumps of moss and lichen that hang up to 100 feet above the ground.
After raising their young, Northern Parulas head south to Mexico and the Caribbean for the winter where they'll give their voices a bit of a rest till it's time to sing again in spring.
For BirdNote, I'm Ariana Remmel.
Today's show is sponsored by Gary and Liz Kennedy Ketcheson, who are grateful to BirdNote for introducing us to wonderful stories about birds from around the world, like the beautiful Northern Parula.
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Senior Producer: Mark Bramhill
Producer: Sam Johnson
Managing Editor: Jazzi Johnson
Managing Producer: Ariana Remmel
Content Director: Jonese Franklin
Bird sounds provided by The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Northern Parula ML234367151 recorded by Jay McGowan. Northern Parula ML351946681 recorded by Jeff Ellerbusch.
BirdNote’s theme was composed and played by Nancy Rumbel and John Kessler.
© 2025 BirdNote June 2025
Narrator: Ariana Remmel
ID# NOPA-01-2025-06-06 NOPA-01
References:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Parula
https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/norpar/cur/introduction
