Yellowthroat

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Yellowthroats
Commonyellowthroat159.jpg
Male common yellowthroat ( Geothlypis trichas )
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Parulidae
Genus: Geothlypis
Cabanis, 1847
Type species
Trichas personatus [1]
Swainson, 1827
= Turdus trichas Linnaeus, 1766
Species

See text.

Heads of Geothlypis taxa GeothlypisKeulemans.jpg
Heads of Geothlypis taxa

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, while the common yellowthroat breeds over much of North America.

Contents

Taxonomy

The genus Geothlypis was introduced in 1847 by the German ornithologist Jean Cabanis. [2] [3] This was a replacement name for Trichas that had been introduced in June 1827 by William Swainson but was pre-occupied by Trichas that had been introduced in March 1827 by C. L. Gloger for a genus in a different family. Swainson had introduced his genus to accommodate a single species, Tichas personatus Swainson. This is the type species and is a junior synonym of Turdus trichas Linnaeus, the common yellowthroat. [3] [4] [5] The genus name Geothlypis combines the Ancient Greek γεω-/geō- meaning "ground-" or "earth-" with θλυπις/thlupis, an unknown small bird. [6]

The taxonomy of these closely related species is complicated, and it is sometimes difficult to define which forms merit species status. For example, common yellowthroat, Belding's yellowthroat, Altamira yellowthroat, and Bahama yellowthroat are sometimes considered conspecific. Conversely masked yellowthroat can be split to three or even four species. The name 'yellowthroat' is sometimes used as an alternate name for the yellow-throated leaflove. [7]

The geographical isolation of the various populations of this mainly sedentary group has led to its genetic divergence and speciation. This process can be seen in action in the case of masked yellowthroat, where the subspecies are separated by rainforest or the Andes, leading to the development of distinctive forms, such as the Central American race Geothlypis aequinoctialis chiriquensis. This form is found in the highlands of Costa Rica and western Panama, and is separated by 1000 km from its South American cousins, from which it differs in size, appearance and vocalisations.

The Kentucky warbler, mourning warbler, and MacGillivray's warbler, all previously thought to have been members of the genus Oporornis , have since been moved to Geothlypis. [8]

Description

All the yellowthroats have similar plumage, with yellow-green upperparts, yellow breast, and a mainly black bill. The adult male has a black facemask of variable extent, usually bordered above with a grey band. The female is similar, but lacks the black mask, and may be duller in plumage.

Behaviour

The breeding habitat of these warblers is typically marshes and other wet areas with dense low vegetation. The eggs, two in most species, but up to five for common yellowthroat, are laid in a lined cup nest low in grass or rank vegetation.

Yellowthroat are usually seen in pairs, and do not associate with other species. They are often skulking, and feed on a range of insects.

Species

The genus contains 15 species. [9]

ImageScientific nameCommon NameDistribution
Common Yellowthroat by Dan Pancamo.jpg Geothlypis trichas Common yellowthroat southern Canada to central Mexico.
Belding's Yellowthroat.jpg Geothlypis beldingi Belding's yellowthroat southern Baja California, Mexico.
Altamira Yellowthroat (Geothlypis flavovelata) male.jpg Geothlypis flavovelata Altamira yellowthroat Gulf slope of northeastern Mexico
Bahama Yellowthroat (Geothlypis rostrata) held in hand, side view.jpg Geothlypis rostrata Bahama yellowthroat the Bahamas.
Olive-crowned Yellowthroat (24488815273).jpg Geothlypis semiflava Olive-crowned yellowthroat Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama.
Black-polled Yellowthroat - cropped.jpg Geothlypis speciosa Black-polled yellowthroat central Mexico and the southwestern Mexican Plateau, in Guanajuato, Michoacán, and México State.
Geothlypis aequinoctialis Masked yellowthroat Venezuela and Colombia to n Amazonian Brazil and Trinidad
Geothlypis chiriquensis 1902.jpg Geothlypis chiriquensis Chiriqui yellowthroat southwestern Costa Rica to Panama
Geothlypis auricularis Keulemans.jpg Geothlypis auricularis Black-lored yellowthroat western Ecuador to western Peru
Southern Yellowthroat (Geothlypis velata).jpg Geothlypis velata Southern yellowthroat southeastern Peru, eastern Bolivia, and south Amazonian Brazil to Argentina and Uruguay
Grey-crowned Yellowthroat - Sarapiqui - Costa Rica (26652422686).jpg Geothlypis poliocephala Gray-crowned yellowthroat Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, and the United States.
Hooded yellowthroat (Geothlypis nelsoni) Lerma.jpg Geothlypis nelsoni Hooded yellowthroat Mexico north of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.
Geothlypis tolmiei Hungry Horse MT 2.jpg Geothlypis tolmiei MacGillivray's warbler western United States, and in boreal forests of west Canada.
Mourning Warbler (34737393215).jpg Geothlypis philadelphia Mourning warbler southern Canada, the central and eastern United States, Belize, Bonaire, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, Panama, and other Central American Islands
Geothlypis formosa Parkway NC 2.jpg Geothlypis formosa Kentucky warbler central and eastern United States, often ranging as far north as Wisconsin to Pennsylvania.

References

  1. "Parulidae". aviansystematics.org. The Trust for Avian Systematics. Retrieved 2023-07-16.
  2. Cabanis, Jean (1847). "Ornithologische Notizen". Archiv für Naturgeschichte (in German). 13: 186-256; 308-352 [316, 349].
  3. 1 2 Paynter, Raymond A. Jr, ed. (1968). Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol. 14. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Museum of Comparative Zoology. p. 38.
  4. Swainson, William (June 1827). "A synopsis of the birds discovered in Mexico by W. Bullock, F.L.S. and Mr. William Bullock jun". Philosophical Magazine. New Series. 1: 364–369, 433–442 [433].
  5. Gloger, C.L. (March 1827). "Etwas über einige ornithologische Gattungsbenennungen". Notizen aus dem Gebiete der Natur- und Heilkunde (in German). 16. col. 275-280 [278].
  6. Jobling, James A. "Geothlypis". The Key to Scientific Names. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  7. "Atimastillas flavicollis - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
  8. Lovette, Irby; Pérez-Emán, Jorge; Sullivan, John; Banks, Richard; Fiorentino, Isabella; Córdoba-Córdoba, Sergio; Echeverry-Galvis, María; Barker, F.; Burns, Kevin; Klicka, John; Lanyon, Scott; Bermingham, Eldredge (7 August 2010). "A comprehensive multilocus phylogeny for the wood-warblers and a revised classification of the Parulidae (Aves)" . Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 57 (2): 753–770. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2010.07.018. PMID   20696258 . Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  9. Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (February 2025). "New World warblers, mitrospingid tanagers". IOC World Bird List Version 15.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 9 September 2025.