{{short description|Species of bird}} {{Speciesbox | name = Northern parula | image = 2014-05-21 Northern Parula, Shenandoah NP, Virginia 001200 07.jpg |image_caption=Male |image2=Northern parula (74634).jpg |image2_caption=Female | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2021 |title=''Setophaga americana'' |volume=2021 |article-number=e.T22721639A138880067 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T22721639A138880067.en |access-date=31 March 2022}}</ref> | taxon = Setophaga americana | authority = (Linnaeus, 1758) | synonyms = *''Parus americanus'' {{small|Linnaeus, 1758}} *''Compsothlyphis americana'' {{small|(Linnaeus, 1758)}} *''Parula americana'' {{small|(Linnaeus, 1758)}} | range_map = Parula americana map.svg | range_map_caption = Range of ''S. americana'' {{leftlegend|#FFFF00|Breeding range|outline=gray}}{{leftlegend|#0000FF|Wintering range|outline=gray}} }}
The '''northern parula''' ('''''Setophaga americana''''') is a small New World warbler. It is migratory and breeds in eastern North America from southern Canada to Florida.<ref name=Curson/>
==Taxonomy== The northern parula was formally described in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the tenth edition of his ''Systema Naturae''. He placed it with the tits in the genus ''Parus'' and coined the binomial name ''Parus americanus''.<ref>{{cite book | last=Linnaeus | first=Carl | author-link=Carl Linnaeus | year=1758 | title= Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis | volume=1 | edition=10th | page=190 | publisher=Laurentii Salvii | location=Holmiae (Stockholm) | language=Latin | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/727099 }}</ref> Linnaeus based his account on "The Finch-Creeper" that had been described and illustrated in 1731 by the English naturalist Mark Catesby in his book ''The Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands''.<ref>{{ cite book | last=Catesby | first=Mark | author-link=Mark Catesby | year=1729–1732 | title=The Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands | volume=1 | location=London | publisher=W. Innys and R. Manby | language=English, French | page=64, Plate 64 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/40753308 }} Published in 11 parts. For the dates see: {{ cite journal | last=Overstreet | first=Leslie K. | date=2014 | title=The dates of the parts of Mark Catesby's ''The Natural History of Carolina ...'' (London, 1731–1743 [1729–1747]) | journal=Archives of Natural History | volume=41 | issue=2 | pages=362–364 | doi=10.3366/anh.2014.0256 }}</ref> Linnaeus specified the type locality as northern America, but in 1931 this was restricted to South Carolina by the American Ornithologists' Union.<ref>{{ cite book | author=Committee on Classification and Nomenclature| year=1931 | title=Check-list of North American Birds | edition=4th | location=Lancaster, Pennsylvania | publisher=American Ornithologists' Union | page=284 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/5824022 }}</ref><ref>{{ cite book | editor-last=Paynter | editor-first=Raymond A. Jr | year=1968 | title=Check-List of Birds of the World | volume=14 | publisher=Museum of Comparative Zoology | place=Cambridge, Massachusetts | page=11 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14481212 }}</ref> The northern parula was moved from the genus ''Parus'' to the genus ''Setophaga'' based on a molecular phylogenetic study of the Parulidae that was published in 2010.<ref>{{Cite journal | last1=Lovette | first1=I.J. | last2=Pérez-Emán | first2=J.L. | last3=Sullivan | first3=J.P. | last4=Banks | first4=R. C. | last5=Fiorentino | first5=I. | last6=Córdoba-Córdoba | first6=S. | last7=Echeverry-Galvis | first7=M.A. | last8=Barker | first8=F.K. | last9=Burns | first9=K.J. | last10=Klicka| first10=J. | last11=Lanyon | first11=S.M. | last12=Bermingham | first12=E. | year=2010 | title=A comprehensive multilocus phylogeny for the wood-warblers and a revised classification of the Parulidae (Aves) | journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution | volume=57 | issue=2 | pages=753–770 | doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2010.07.018 | pmid=20696258 | bibcode=2010MolPE..57..753L }}</ref><ref name=ioc>{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor1-link=Frank Gill (ornithologist) | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | editor3-last=Rasmussen | editor3-first=Pamela | editor3-link=Pamela C. Rasmussen | date=August 2024 | title=New World warblers, mitrospingid tanagers | work=IOC World Bird List Version 14.2 | url=https://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/warblers/ | publisher=International Ornithologists' Union | access-date=24 February 2025 }}</ref> The species is considered to be monotypic, with no subspecies recognized.<ref name=ioc/> Northern parulas will occasionally hybridize with yellow-throated warblers, resulting in a hybrid species known as Sutton's warblers.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Anich |last2=Swelstad |last3=Pierce |first1=Nicholas|first2= Jack|first3= Brian |date=2012 |title=The First Report of Sutton's Warbler(Northern Parula × Yellow-throated Warbler) in Wisconsin |url=https://www.academia.edu/34257810 |journal=The Passenger Pigeon |volume=74 |number=2 |pages=149–154}}</ref>
The genus name ''Setophaga'' is from Ancient Greek ''ses'', "moth", and ''{{lang|grc-Latn|phagos}}'', "eating", and the specific ''americana'' is Latin for "American".<ref name =job>{{cite book | last= Jobling | first= James A. | year= 2010| title= The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names | url= https://archive.org/details/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling | publisher=Christopher Helm | location = London, United Kingdom | isbn = 978-1-4081-2501-4 | pages =[https://archive.org/details/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling/page/n44 44], 355 }}</ref> The common name "Parula" ultimately derives from Latin ''parrula'', Tit (bird).<ref name=OED>{{Cite OED|term=Parula|access-date=6 December 2020}}</ref>
==Description== The northern parula is one of the smaller North American migratory warblers, often being one of the smallest birds in a mixed feeding flock besides kinglets or gnatcatchers. Length is {{convert|10.8|to|12.4|cm|in|abbr=on}}, wingspan is {{convert|16|to|18|cm|in|abbr=on}} and body weight is {{convert|5|to|11|g|oz|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_parula/lifehistory|title=Northern Parula|work=All About Birds|publisher=Cornell Lab of Ornithology}}</ref> Among standard measurements, the wing chord is {{convert|5.1|to|6.5|cm|in|abbr=on}}, the tail is {{convert|3.7|to|4.5|cm|in|abbr=on}}, the bill is {{convert|0.8|to|1.1|cm|in|abbr=on}} and the tarsus is {{convert|1.5|to|1.8|cm|in|abbr=on}}.<ref name=Curson/> This species has mainly blue-gray upper parts, with a greenish back patch and two white wing bars. The breast is yellowish shading into the white belly. The summer male has bluish and rufous breast bands and prominent white eye crescents. At the end of the breeding season, individuals molt into a duller version of the breeding plumage. Females are similar-looking but tend to be duller and lack the breast bands.<ref name=Curson/> The unique breastband fades in males and may disappear altogether in females.
Its song is a click-like trill or buzz, ''zeeeeee-yip'' and the call is a soft ''chip''.
==Distribution and habitat== [[File:Northern Parula by Dan Pancamo.jpg|thumb|right|At Galveston, Texas during spring migration]] thumb|Resting during fall migration in New York [[File:Northern Parula in High Island by Dan Pancamo 1.jpg|thumb|right|At High Island, Texas]] This species is migratory, wintering in southern Florida, northern Central America, the West Indies and most of the Lesser Antilles. This species is a very rare vagrant to western Europe.<ref name=Curson>{{cite book|last1=Curson|first1=Jon|last2=Quinn|first2=David|last3=Beadle|first3=David|title=New World Warblers|location=London|year=1994 |publisher=Christopher Helm|isbn=0-7136-3932-6}}</ref>
While the species is still common as a breeder across most of eastern North America, there are conspicuous gaps in their breeding range that were likely once breeding grounds. They have been extirpated as a breeder from much of the Midwest as well as from many areas in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont. Explanations for the disappearance may be changes in habitat or increasing air pollution, which limited the growth of epiphytes on trees that the warbler depended on for nesting. A further explanation is the clear-cutting and bog draining that have significantly reduced the amount of suitable habitat in eastern North America.<ref name="Moldenhauer">Moldenhauer, R. R., and D. J. Regelski. 1996. [https://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/215 ''Northern Parula (Parula americana)''.] In ''The Birds of North America'', No. 215 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.</ref>
The northern parula inhabits various habitats depending on season and location. This is primarily a forest-dwelling species, but the northern and southern breeding populations select different habitats. In general, abundance of this species has been found to be positively correlated with increased tree species diversity, canopy height, and percent canopy cover. Northern populations breed in mature, moist coniferous forests. This species constructs its pendulum nests in hanging vegetation and so it is often attracted to suspended clumps of moss or coniferous twigs that are more abundant in moist spruce bogs or hemlock swamps. Southern populations breed in mature, moist, bottomland forest where Spanish moss is prevalent. Outside of the breeding season, the northern parula becomes more of a habitat generalist and may be found in a wide variety of habitats during migration and winter. These habitats may include shrubby pastures; moist, dry or wet forests; and agricultural fields or plantations.<ref>Ehrlich, P., D. Dobkin, D. Wheye. 1988. ''The Birder's Handbook: A Field Guide to the Natural History of North American Birds''. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.</ref>
==Behavior and ecology== {{Listen | filename =Setophaga americana - Northern Parula XC142585.ogg | title =Song and calls }} ===Breeding=== The northern parula is considered a monogamous species; however, a few cases of polygamy have been reported. Southern populations can start breeding as soon as March but in the north of the range, the species does not nest until May. The breeding habitat is humid woodland with growths of Old Man's Beard lichen or Spanish moss. Northern parulas nest in trees in clumps of these lichens (Old Man's Beard; ''Usnea'') or plants (Spanish moss; ''Tillandsia usneoides''), laying 3–7 eggs in a scantily lined cup nest. Sites located near water sources are preferred and many nests are found at the end of branches suspended over water. Due to their longer breeding season, southern populations of northern parula frequently raise two broods, as opposed to northern populations, which raise only one. The female hollows out a clump of vegetation in the moss and proceeds to fill the cavity with vegetation fibers, animal hair, grass, or pine needles. These nests average {{convert|7|cm|in|abbr=on}} in outside diameter. The incubation period typically lasts 12–14 days and the young fledge at 10–11 days. Breeding maturity is attained the following year.<ref name="Moldenhauer"/>
===Food and feeding=== The northern parula forages mostly or entirely on arboreal invertebrates. Prey items include spiders, damselflies, locusts, bugs, grasshoppers, aphids, beetles, caterpillars, flies, wasps, bees, and ants. Regardless of season, caterpillars and spiders are consumed most often. During the winter, the northern parula consumes more beetles and occasionally forages on berries, seeds, and nectar. This species primarily captures prey from vegetation by a hover-glean method, however this species is versatile in using a variety of foraging methods. It may make short flights from a perch to snatch prey in mid-flight or even hang upside-down to forage. It is most often seen foraging in the mid- to upper canopy levels of vegetation. Though most foraging activity occurs in arboreal vegetation, this species occasionally forages on or around the ground as well.<ref name="Moldenhauer"/>
A northern parula from Augusta, Georgia was found to be a host of an intestinal acanthocephalan worm, ''Apororhynchus amphistomi''.<ref>{{cite journal|first1=Elon E.|last1=Byrd|first2=Fred|last2=Denton|title=The Helminth Parasites of Birds. II. A New Species of Acanthocephala from North American Birds|journal=The Journal of Parasitology|volume=35|number=4|date=August 1949|pages=391–410|doi=10.2307/3273430|jstor=3273430|pmid=18133320 }}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Setophaga americana|Northern parula}} {{Wikispecies|Setophaga americana}} * {{InternetBirdCollection|northern-parula-parula-americana|Northern parula}} *[https://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/i6480id.html Northern parula - ''Parula americana''] - USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter *[https://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Northern_Parula.html Northern parula species account] - Cornell Lab of Ornithology *{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20001025115717/http://www.bird-stamps.org/cspecies/19901200.htm Stamps]}} (for Antigua, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Turks and Caicos Islands) with RangeMap at bird-stamps.org * {{VIREO|Northern+Parula|Northern parula}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q27075910}}
northern parula Category:Native birds of Eastern Canada Category:Native birds of the Eastern United States Category:Birds of the Dominican Republic northern parula northern parula Category:Birds of the United States Category:Least concern biota of the United States Category:Least concern biota of North America