One of the first migrants to brighten Oregon woodlands with song is the Black-throated gray warbler. As early as the first week in April, the distinctive buzzy song announces the male's arrival in habitats from riparian forests to juniper woodlands, chaparral to Douglas-fir forests. It sings even as it darts through the canopy and understory in search of insects.

Except for the small yellow spot in front of the eyes, the male is an essay in black, gray and white. The cap and throat are black, as is the cheek which is outlined in white. The back is gray, striped with black, and the belly is white with black streaks along the sides. It has white wing bars and outer tail feathers that show clearly when they fly. The female is similar but the black throat patch is usually reduced or absent, ant the black cap and face are replaced by dark gray.

It is a summer resident of the foothills and valley bottoms of western Oregon thought less common in wetter areas along the coast. It extends into the Cascades in fingers of riparian forests along major rivers and in young forests, especially adjacent to the riparian corridors. Along the eastern foothills of the Cascades, it is locally common in Hood River and Wasco counties. It is occasionally seen in winter west of the Cascades.

Hear the song of the Black-throated gray warbler

Photo by Matt Knoth, Flickr