Bird
Bird
Northern Waterthrush
Parkesia noveboracensis
The Northern Waterthrush is a streaky brown wood-warbler that spends the northern winter along Trinidad's wetland edges, mangroves, and streams, bobbing its tail constantly as it walks along the water's edge.
The Northern Waterthrush is a streaky brown wood-warbler that spends the northern winter along Trinidad's wetland edges, mangroves, and streams, bobbing its tail constantly as it walks along the water's edge. It does not breed in Trinidad, arriving each year from breeding grounds far to the north.
Identification
A medium-sized warbler around 13 to 15 cm long, with dark olive-brown upperparts, heavily streaked buffy-white underparts, and a bold pale eyebrow stripe. Despite its plain colouration it is easily recognised by its constant, exaggerated tail-bobbing as it walks, thrush-like, along the ground near water.
Migration
A non-breeding migrant present in Trinidad roughly from September to April, having bred in wet forests and bogs across Canada and the northern United States. It winters throughout the Caribbean, Central America, and northern South America, and is entirely absent from Trinidad outside this non-breeding season.
Status in T&T
A common non-breeding visitor to mangroves, swamp edges, streams, and other wetland habitats across Trinidad during the winter months, including Caroni and Nariva swamps. Not threatened, and it is protected as a migratory species under the Conservation of Wildlife Act.
Threats
- Loss and degradation of wintering wetland habitat
