Ovenbird

Sexes are similar. Olive-green upperparts and white underparts with heavy black streaking on the breast and sides. The crown features an orange-tawny patch bordered by two black stripes. White eye-ring is prominent.

Orange crown patch bordered by black stripes, bold white eye-ring, and heavily streaked white breast.

Length: 13-16 cm (5.1-6.3 in); Wingspan: 19-26 cm (7.5-10.2 in); Weight: 18-28 g.

Song is a loud, ringing 'teacher-teacher-Teacher-TEACHER' increasing in volume. Call is a sharp 'chip'.

Primarily insects, spiders, and other invertebrates found by flipping leaves on the forest floor.

Deciduous or mixed forests with plenty of leaf litter and closed canopies.

Neotropical migrant; breeds in North America and winters in Southern Florida, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.

Builds a unique domed nest on the ground made of leaves and grass with a side entrance, resembling an old-fashioned outdoor bread oven.

Northern Waterthrush (lacks orange crown, different habitat) and Wood Thrush (larger, different spotting, no head stripes).

Controls insect populations on the forest floor and serves as an indicator species for large, unfragmented forest health.

Least Concern (IUCN); population is stable but sensitive to forest fragmentation.

Listen for its explosive song in deep leaf litter. They are often seen walking slowly on the ground. Use bird-safe window treatments to prevent collisions, as they are common window-strike victims.

The Ovenbird gets its name from its nest, which is a domed structure on the ground that looks like a Dutch oven or pizza oven.