Louisiana Waterthrush
Encyclopedia
The Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla) is a New World warbler
. It breeds in eastern North America
from southernmost Canada
and south through the eastern USA, excluding Florida
and the coast.
It is migratory
, wintering in Central America
and the West Indies. This is a rare vagrant to the western USA.
The Louisiana Waterthrush has a plain brown back and white underparts streaked with black. The flanks and undertail are buff. There is a strong white flared supercilium, and the legs are bright pink. All plumages are similar, but young birds have buff underparts rather than white.
The only confusion species is the closely related Northern Waterthrush
(Parkesia noveboracensis), which has white flanks and undertail and duller pink legs.
The breeding habitat is wet woodlands near running water. Louisiana Waterthrushes nest in a rock crevice or amongst tree roots, laying 4–6 eggs in a cup nest.
These birds are terrestrial feeders, seeking insect
s, molluscs, and crustacean
s amongst the leaf litter.
The song is a musical series of descending notes followed by a warble. The call is a hard chink.
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 breeds in eastern North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
from southernmost Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and south through the eastern USA, excluding Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and the coast.
It is 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...
, wintering in Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and the West Indies. This is a rare vagrant to the western USA.
The Louisiana Waterthrush has a plain brown back and white underparts streaked with black. The flanks and undertail are buff. There is a strong white flared supercilium, and the legs are bright pink. All plumages are similar, but young birds have buff underparts rather than white.
The only confusion species is the closely related Northern Waterthrush
Northern Waterthrush
The Northern Waterthrush is one of the larger New World warblers. It breeds in the northern part of North America in Canada, and in the northern United States, . This bird is migratory, wintering in Central America, the West Indies, and Florida; also Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador...
(Parkesia noveboracensis), which has white flanks and undertail and duller pink legs.
The breeding habitat is wet woodlands near running water. Louisiana Waterthrushes nest in a rock crevice or amongst tree roots, laying 4–6 eggs in a cup nest.
These birds are terrestrial feeders, seeking 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, molluscs, and crustacean
Crustacean
Crustaceans form a very large group of arthropods, usually treated as a subphylum, which includes such familiar animals as crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp, krill and barnacles. The 50,000 described species range in size from Stygotantulus stocki at , to the Japanese spider crab with a leg span...
s amongst the leaf litter.
The song is a musical series of descending notes followed by a warble. The call is a hard chink.
External links
- Louisiana Waterthrush - Seiurus motacilla - USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter
- Louisiana Waterthrush Information - South Dakota Birds and Birding
- Louisiana Waterthrush Species Account - Cornell Lab of Ornithology