Dominica Botanic Gardens Roseau, Commonwealth of Dominica, West Indies

Photo: Rob & Ann Simpson

Description: Small, active bird, 12.5-14 cm long (5-5.5 in); in Dominica, it is the non-breeding migrant that passes through the West Indies from Sep-Dec when on its way to winter in northern South America, and again in March - June when returning to summer in North America; for these non-breeding migrants, plumage is largely similar in both sexes, with dull green upperparts, dark wings with two white bars, mantle streaked with black; underparts yellowish with white undertail coverts; has short, thin, black bill and pale, pinkish legs and feet; feeds primarily on insects with lesser amounts of fruit; in the Gardens, will be seen in both the ornamental and economic crop areas during the migrating seasons; song of male Blackpoll Warbler is one of the highest-pitched of all birds; click here to listen to its calls. References: Arlington James, et al. Dominica’s Birds. Forestry, Wildlife and Parks Division, Ministry of Agriculture and the Environment, Dominica, 2005 James Bond. Birds of the West Indies. Collins, St James Place, London, 4th Edition, 1979 Herbert Raffaele, et al. Birds of the West Indies. Princeton Field Guides, Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, 2003.