Adult male magnolia warbler, Dendroica magnolia (formerly, Dendroica maculosa; protonym, Sylvia magnolia), also known as the black and yellow warbler and as the blue-headed yellow-rumped warbler (say that quick after three beers!), photographed at Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, Texas (USA).
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 14 May 2011 [velociraptorize].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/1000s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400
Question: This brilliantly-coloured North American mystery bird's common name has a strange history. Can you identify this lovely bird and tell me more about how it got its common name?
Response: The magnolia warbler, Dendroica magnolia is more properly known by its alternate common name, black and yellow warbler. The original specimen of this species was "collected" in 1810 by Alexander Wilson. Because he collected the first bird, he chose the common name "Black-and-yellow Warbler". Because Wilson shot his bird out of a magnolia tree, he used "magnolia" for its Latin species name -- an appellation that became this species' common name over time. Contrary to what its common name suggests, the magnolia warbler is rarely associated with magnolia trees: it prefers open coniferous and mixed coniferous-deciduous woodland, forest edge, and second growth.
The bird in the photograph is an adult male. Male magnolia warblers can be distinguished from similar-looking birds, like the prairie warbler and Kirtland's warbler, by their distinctive yellow and black-speckled breast and belly -- features that are glaringly obvious in this photograph. Once magnolia warblers reach their breeding range, which is located in northern Canada, they are unique since no other species in this region look like this species.
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