Grace's Warbler

Grace's Warbler is a compact warbler of montane pine forest, sharing a similar overall pattern with the more widespread Yellow-throated Warbler but on a smaller, more understated scale. It has gray upperparts, a bright yellow throat and upper breast, and a yellow supercilium that does not extend far behind the eye, along with black streaking on the flanks and back.

It spends much of its time high in the canopy of pine trees, where its plumage and habits closely mirror its relative, making patient observation and careful attention to its shorter supercilium and less extensive yellow underparts important for a confident identification.

Key field marks

• Gray upperparts with black streaking on the back and flanks
• Yellow throat and upper breast, with white on the lower belly
• Short yellow supercilium that does not extend well past the eye
• Two white wingbars

Similar species

Yellow-throated Warbler is very similar but has a longer white supercilium extending past the eye, a white (not yellow) patch on the neck side, and more extensive yellow on the underparts; it also occurs mainly in the East rather than the southwestern mountains favored by Grace's Warbler.

Grace's Warblers breed in open, mature pine forest, especially ponderosa pine, in mountain ranges of the southwestern United States and Mexico, typically foraging and nesting high in the pine canopy.

They winter in pine and pine-oak forest from Mexico south through Central America, generally in habitat similar to their breeding range.

Behavior and voice

Grace's Warblers forage high in pine canopy, gleaning insects from needle clusters much like Yellow-throated Warbler, and can be difficult to see well given their preference for the treetops.

The song is a rapid, trilled series of chip notes, similar in structure to Yellow-throated Warbler's song but generally faster and simpler.

Nesting

The nest is built high in a pine tree, often well out on a horizontal branch, made of pine needles, bark strips, and plant down. Clutches typically contain 3-4 eggs.