One of the most numerous breeding birds in Douglas-fir and true fir forests of western Oregon is the Hermit warbler, yet it is often overlooked. This may be surprising, given the male's bold colors; however, it seldom descends from the higher reaches of the forest canopy. If you are familiar with its song, you can often hear three to five males singing on a spring morning from many places in appropriate habitat.

The male Hermit warbler has a bright yellow head, set off by a black throat and nape. The gray back is marked with black stripes that vary in width among birds. Its belly is unmarked white, and it has white wing bars and white outer tail feathers. Females are similar, though the black on the throat is reduced or absent.

Hear the song of the Hermit warbler

Photo by John Breitsh, Flickr