Common Yellowthroat

<em>Geothlypis trichas</em>, the common yellowthroat, is a small New World warbler in the family Parulidae. It is one of the most abundant and widespread warblers in North America, breeding across most of the continent from Alaska and Canada south through the United States and into Mexico and Central America. The species is strongly associated with dense, low-growing vegetation near water, including freshwater marshes, reed beds, shrubby wetlands, and riparian thickets. Adult males are distinctively marked with a bright yellow throat and breast, olive-green upperparts, and a bold black facial mask bordered by white above, making them among the most recognizable North American songbirds. Females and immatures are more subdued, lacking the black mask. Biological traits such as precise average lifespan and body weight remain variable; adults typically weigh 9–10 g and live 1–3 years on average in the wild. The species feeds primarily on insects and spiders gleaned from dense vegetation. It builds a well-concealed domed or cup nest low in vegetation near water. <em>Geothlypis trichas</em> is assessed as Least Concern, reflecting its vast range and large, broadly stable population.