Northern Parula
Setophaga americana
The Northern Parula often builds its nest directly inside hanging clumps of Spanish moss or Old Man's Beard lichen, creating a perfectly camouflaged swinging cradle.
- Scientific name
- Setophaga americana
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Passeriformes › Parulidae › Setophaga
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- increasing
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Mature coniferous and deciduous forests, often near water or swamps with abundant hanging moss or lichens.
- Diet
- Primarily insects like beetles, caterpillars, and spiders; occasionally berries in winter.
- Range
- Eastern United States, Southeastern Canada, Central America, Caribbean
- Size
- Length: 11cm; Weight: 8g
- Lifespan
- Approximately 7 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat fragmentation, loss of nesting epiphytes (Spanish moss/Usnea), and window collisions during migration.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless and shy. Best observed with binoculars as they forage high in the canopy. Maintain a respectful distance to avoid disrupting their rapid foraging or nesting activities; if you find a nest, do not approach it.
The northern parula ( Setophaga americana ) is a small New World warbler. It breeds in eastern North America from southern Canada to Florida.
Photo: Dan Pancamo, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist
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