Hi. I’m Kevin McGowan. Let’s talk about warblers. Like most birders, I love warblers. They’re such a great blast of color and pattern in the spring. After a long winter in central New York with mostly only a few drab birds here and there, it’s like the dawn of a new year when the warblers arrive in April and May. My birthday is in mid-May, at the peak of migration in New York and Ohio, where I grew up, and it’s always like I get birthday presents of warblers. Lots of warblers are strikingly marked in bright colors and bold patterns, which can make some easy to identify. But, warblers can be a challenge, too. They’re constantly in motion, and often forage high up in the trees. In fact, there is a common ailment among birders called “warbler neck.” It’s a sore neck from looking so high up in the trees so intently for so long. Moving fast and staying high up means that you often only get glimpses of these birds, and you need to be ready to use all the hints you get for warbler ID. And that’s what this series is designed to help you do. We will be talking about how to quickly recognize diagnostic color patterns, what to look for where on a warbler. We’ll go over which clues are important characteristics to pay attention to, and which ones really don’t help that much. We’ll discuss how to categorize warbler songs to help you make a quick ID. And lots of other warblering tips too. I can’t help you avoid warbler neck, but I can help you get the most out of your warbler watching. Please join me to talk about warblers.
End of transcriptGet the Help You've Been Looking For
We know that it can feel overwhelming at first. Get the help you’ve been looking for with world-renowned birder Kevin McGowan as your guide. Introducing the most comprehensive online course on warblers.
- Learn with short training videos for a total of 4+ hours of instruction
- Train for field conditions with 5+ hours of photo ID practice
- Hone your birding strategies with comprehensive quizzes after each lesson
- Absorb gestures and song through video portraits of each species
- Have the warblers at your fingertips with 4 free ID poster downloads
Be a Better Birder: Warbler Identification
- Lessons inside: 12
- Topics inside: 55
- Completion time (estimated): 16 hours
- Instructional videos: 62
- Total instructional video time: 3.75 hours
- Level: Advanced
- Categories: Bird Identification
- Regionality: United States/Canada – General
- CEU credits: 1.6 (optional additional purchase)
- SnapID makes practice easy
- Self-paced, no expiration date, 100% online
- 60-day refund guarantee
Why I Made This Course
"Warblers are a favorite among birders of all skill levels because they’re so rewarding. With their bright colors and globe-trotting habits, warblers add excitement to spring birding. But they often flit by quickly and can be tricky to identify. We know that it can feel overwhelming at first. Get the help you’ve been looking for with a course that gives you practice identifying all 51 warblers from across the United States and Canada."
What's Inside
Learn with short training videos for a total of 4+ hours of instruction. Train for field conditions with 5+ hours of photo ID practice. Hone your birding strategies with comprehensive quizzes after each lesson. Absorb gestures and song through video portraits of each species. Have the warblers at your fingertips with 4 free ID poster downloads.
SnapID Tool
Bird Academy has developed a unique approach to learning bird identification. Our SnapID tool helps you practice identifying birds in all different postures and lighting conditions and builds your confidence through winning streaks.
Try out SnapID now and see how well you know the Yellow Warbler!
Try a Sample Lesson
Dive into the lesson for the Yellow Warbler—just one of the 50+ species covered in the course.
Take the free sample lessonCourse Overview
Explore the variety of warblers living in the United States and Canada. Learn the different taxonomic groups, and see what makes a warbler a warbler.
Learn to pay attention to which colors are present, and where the colors are on the warbler. Look for the pattern, placement, and arrangement of those colors and look to see where the birds have smaller markings, too.
Get to know the brightly colored and patterned spring males well, and you hold the key to being able to identify female warblers and dull fall warblers.
Learn how to think about bird song, so you can learn the important skill of identifying warbler songs. Warblers sing a lot in the spring and summer, and their songs can be very distinctive.
Learn what behaviors to watch for to bump your warbler identification skills up a notch—the behavior of warblers can offer important clues to identification.
Size and shape are important clues to identification for many kinds of birds, but they’re not as useful for distinguishing among the warblers. Learn when they can help, and when they don’t.
Knowing where you saw a warbler can be a big help in figuring out what it was. Learning to pay attention to where you are in the world and what habitat you saw the bird in can help you come to the right ID.
Learn the keys to identification for the warblers that can be found all across the United States and Canada—and practice for the field with SnapID.
Learn the keys to identification for thirteen of the warblers that can be found in eastern North America—and practice for the field with SnapID.
Learn the keys to identification for thirteen of the warblers that can be found in eastern North America—and practice for the field with SnapID.
Learn the keys to identification for the warblers that can be found in western North America—and practice for the field with SnapID.
Tag along on a spring warblering adventure to get ideas on how to find warblers next time they are in your area.
Included for Free: Warbler Song Collection
Included with this course is a free download of 312 sound recordings from the warbler species found in the U.S. and Canada. Use this collection to learn the geographic variation in warbler songs and extend your ID skills. You’ll find download links in the final course lesson— you can stream and download the recordings at your convenience. A $14.99 value.
We’ll also give you a helpful, four-sheet warbler reference guide that you can download, print out, and bring with you into the field.
Meet the Course Instructor
The Wonderful World of Woodpeckers
Hear What Students Have to Say
I found many more warblers this spring thanks to this class. I knew they were there and how to look and listen for them. I also trusted my observations more, the course gave me confidence." Bird Academy Student
Having this as a self-paced course was essential for me. Being tied down to a date and time is hard for my schedule. The instructor was excellent - clearly presented. Fabulous photography. Loved it!" Bird Academy Student
It was helpful to have the instructor identify the most important field marks for each bird. When you're looking at a book you have no idea what's most important." Bird Academy Student
Yesterday was a pretty great day in Central Park. I saw 17 species of warblers, including bay-breasted, cape may and worm-eating. I had to tell you that your course has improved the speed with which I can identify different warblers." Bird Academy Student
This Course is Entirely Online
There’s nothing to be shipped, and no additional material is necessary. Bird Academy courses are online, self-paced, and there is no deadline to complete them. You can return to them for reference or practice as often as you want. All course material, practice tools, instructional videos, and quizzes are available through your web browser. Learn anytime, anywhere*. Gain the skills and understanding you’re looking for. *Requires an internet connection and a modern web browser.
Course credits:
Course author and instructor: Kevin McGowan
Course developers: Sarah Wagner, Lee Ann Van Leer
Instructional design: Mya Thompson, Jeff Szuc
Video production and editing: Shayna Muller
Web design: Jeff Szuc
Applications programmer: Noah Warnke
Copy editing: Noah Warnke
Media collections manager and Audio engineer: Matt Young
Video credits:
Golden-winged Warbler, Benjamin Clock/Macaulay Library
Hooded Warbler, Eric Liner/Macaulay Library
Connecticut Warbler, Benjamin Clock/Macaulay Library
Blackburnian Warbler, Eric Liner/Macaulay Library
Common Yellowthroat, Eric Liner/Macaulay Library
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle), Eric Liner/Macaulay Library
Wilson's Warbler, Eric Liner/Macaulay Library
Mourning Warbler, Eric Liner/Macaulay Library
Ovenbird, Benjamin Clock/Macaulay Library
Yellow Warbler, Benjamin Clock/Macaulay Library
Chestnut-sided Warbler, Eric Liner/Macaulay Library
Kirtland's Warbler, Benjamin Clock/Macaulay Library
Black-and-white Warbler, Jay M. McGowan/Macaulay Library
Prothonotary Warbler, Timothy Barksdale/Macaulay Library
Black-throated Gray Warbler, Larry R. Arbanas/Macaulay Library
Black-throated Green Warbler, Eric Liner/Macaulay Library
Cerulean Warbler, Benjamin Clock/Macaulay Library
Magnolia Warbler, Eric Liner/Macaulay Library
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's), Larry R. Arbanas/Macaulay Library
Louisiana Waterthrush, Benjamin Clock/Macaulay Library
Black-throated Blue Warbler, Eric Liner/Macaulay Library
Cape May Warbler, Timothy Barksdale/Macaulay Library
Pine Warbler, Eric Liner/Macaulay Library
Yellow Warbler SnapID photo: Ian Routley/Macaulay Library
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