- 4.7–5.1 in
- 7.5–8.7 in
- 0.3–0.4 oz
- Paruline tigrée (French)
- Renita tigre (Spanish)
- The tongue of the Cape May Warbler is unique among warblers. It is curled and semitubular, and is used to collect nectar during winter.
- The common name of the species comes from Cape May, New Jersey, where Alexander Wilson first described it. After that first time, Cape May Warblers were not recorded in Cape May for more than 100 years.
- The average clutch size of the Cape May Warbler (six) is greater than that of other warblers. This large clutch size may allow Cape May Warbler populations to expand rapidly during outbreaks of their preferred prey, spruce budworms.
- The nest of the Cape May Warbler was not accurately described until the early 20th century.
Breeds in coniferous forest. Winters in various habitats, including settled areas.
Insects, especially spruce budworms, during the breeding season; nectar and insects in winter.
- Clutch Size
- 4–9 eggs
- Egg Description
- White with reddish-brown blotches.
A bulky cup of sphagnum moss, twigs, pine needles, and bark, lined with hair and feathers. Placed near top of spruce tree.
Usually picks insects from vegetation while perched, but also hawks insects. Curled tongue aids in collection of nectar.
Use of certain combinations of insecticides to control spruce budworms causes steep declines in Cape May Warbler numbers. Other pesticides may have no effect. Logging, especially in the western portion of the species' range, may eventually pose risks to the Cape May Warbler because of reduced availability of the mature forests needed to support spruce budworms.
- Baltz, M. E., and S. C. Latta. 1998. Cape May Warbler (Dendroica tigrina). In The Birds of North America, No. 332 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.