Belding's Yellowthroat
Encyclopedia
The Belding's Yellowthroat, Geothlypis beldingi, is a New World warbler
. It is a resident breeder endemic
to southern Baja California
, Mexico
.
It is closely related to Common Yellowthroat
, Altamira Yellowthroat
and Bahama Yellowthroat
, with which it forms a superspecies, and was formerly considered conspecific.
The breeding habitat is freshwater marsh
es and lagoon
s, usually with cattails. It builds a cup nest of dead cattails which is usually attached to low on the stem of a living cattail. It lays 2-4 eggs, usually 3. Like other yellowthroat
s it forages low in vegetation and feeds on insect
s and other small invertebrate
s.
The Belding's Yellowthroat is 14 cm long with an olive-green back and bright yellow belly. The adult male of the southern nominate race G. b. beldingi has yellow underparts, a black facemask and yellow forecrown. The female is similar, but lacks the black mask and has an olive crown. It is similar to Altamira Yellowthroat, but separated from it by the width of Mexico. This race has been drastically affected by habitat loss, and is now restricted to several small marshes in southernmost Baja California [the estero at San Jose del Cabo and the lagoon at Todo Santos; August, 2007].
The male of the northern subspecies G. b.goldmaii has a pale belly and grey forecrown, making it very similar to some non-migratory
southwestern races of Common Yellowthroat, which, however, do not overlap in range. It is larger and slightly brighter than the migratory races of Common Yellowthroat which winter in Baja California, and the male's mask extends further onto the nape than is the case with the visitors. This race is still fairly common, but its range is shrinking through habitat loss.
The song of Belding's Yellowthroat is a loud wichety wichety wichety wich, similar to that of Common Yellowthroat but deeper, fuller, and with some buzzes. The call is a soft jip, again similar to Common Yellowthoat.
This species is named for Lyman Belding
, a prominent California
n naturalist.
New World warbler
The New World warblers or wood-warblers are a group of small, often colorful, passerine birds restricted to the New World. They are not related to the Old World warblers or the Australian warblers....
. It is a resident breeder endemic
Endemic (ecology)
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...
to southern Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.
It is closely related to Common Yellowthroat
Common Yellowthroat
The Common Yellowthroat is a New World warbler. They are abundant breeders in North America, ranging from southern Canada to central Mexico....
, Altamira Yellowthroat
Altamira Yellowthroat
The Altamira Yellowthroat, Geothlypis flavovelata, is a New World warbler. It is a resident breeding bird endemic to the Gulf slope of northeastern Mexico....
and Bahama Yellowthroat
Bahama Yellowthroat
The Bahama Yellowthroat, Geothlypis rostrata, is a New World warbler. It is a resident breeder endemic to the Bahamas.It is closely related to Common Yellowthroat, Altamira Yellowthroat and Belding's Yellowthroat, with which it forms a superspecies, and was formerly considered conspecific.The...
, with which it forms a superspecies, and was formerly considered conspecific.
The breeding habitat is freshwater marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
es and lagoon
Lagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
s, usually with cattails. It builds a cup nest of dead cattails which is usually attached to low on the stem of a living cattail. It lays 2-4 eggs, usually 3. Like other yellowthroat
Yellowthroat
The yellowthroats are New World warblers in the genus Geothlypis. Most members of the group have localised ranges in Mexico and Central America, but the Masked Yellowthroat has an extensive South American distribution, and Common Yellowthroat, the only migratory species in the group, breeds over...
s it forages low in vegetation and feeds on insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s and other small invertebrate
Invertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...
s.
The Belding's Yellowthroat is 14 cm long with an olive-green back and bright yellow belly. The adult male of the southern nominate race G. b. beldingi has yellow underparts, a black facemask and yellow forecrown. The female is similar, but lacks the black mask and has an olive crown. It is similar to Altamira Yellowthroat, but separated from it by the width of Mexico. This race has been drastically affected by habitat loss, and is now restricted to several small marshes in southernmost Baja California [the estero at San Jose del Cabo and the lagoon at Todo Santos; August, 2007].
The male of the northern subspecies G. b.goldmaii has a pale belly and grey forecrown, making it very similar to some non-migratory
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
southwestern races of Common Yellowthroat, which, however, do not overlap in range. It is larger and slightly brighter than the migratory races of Common Yellowthroat which winter in Baja California, and the male's mask extends further onto the nape than is the case with the visitors. This race is still fairly common, but its range is shrinking through habitat loss.
The song of Belding's Yellowthroat is a loud wichety wichety wichety wich, similar to that of Common Yellowthroat but deeper, fuller, and with some buzzes. The call is a soft jip, again similar to Common Yellowthoat.
This species is named for Lyman Belding
Lyman Belding
Lyman Belding was a prominent American ornithologist.He was born to Joshua Belding and Rosetta Belding née Cooley on 12 June 1829 at West Farms, Massachusetts, but later moved to Kingston, Wyoming Valley, Pennsylvania when he was about 7 years old and finally California...
, a prominent California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
n naturalist.