# Ovenbird

*Seiurus aurocapilla*

Its name comes from its unique nest, a domed structure made of grass and leaves with a side entrance that resembles a traditional clay oven.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Passeriformes › Parulidae › Seiurus
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** forest
- **Habitat:** Mature deciduous and mixed forests with plenty of leaf litter and a relatively open understory.
- **Diet:** Mainly leaf-litter invertebrates such as beetles, ants, spiders, and caterpillars; occasionally seeds.
- **Range:** Canada, United States, Mexico, Central America, Caribbean Islands
- **Size:** Length: 13-16 cm; Wingspan: 22-26 cm; Weight: 18-28 grams.
- **Lifespan:** Average 2-5 years in the wild; oldest recorded was 11 years.
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Forest fragmentation, window strikes during migration, and nest parasitism by Brown-headed Cowbirds.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless. These birds walk on the forest floor like miniature chickens. Keep a safe distance of 10-15 feet to avoid disturbing their ground nests, which are easily stepped on and camouflaged. If you find one, watch quietly; they are not aggressive.

## About

The ovenbird ( Seiurus aurocapilla ) is a small songbird of the New World warbler family (Parulidae). This migratory bird breeds in eastern North America and winters in Central America, many Caribbean islands, Florida and northern Venezuela.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/9065d66b-2915-45a2-a28f-9cc7c3799828
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/62550
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seiurus aurocapilla
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/190649220/medium.jpeg (Chrissy McClarren and Andy Reago, CC0, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.