Mystery Bird: Yellow-rumped Warbler, Dendroica coronata

I believe this is the one whose scientific epithet makes me think it's time to restore the monarchy in this country. The more likely subspecies might have to make way for an upstart pretender to the throne, though. At least, I think I'm seeing some pale on the throat wrapping around behind the cheek, and that cheek does seem to be on the dark side, contrasting with a paler crown. I'm curious what the experts think on that point.

OK John, I think I need a little more... if your alluding to the "crown" then there are a few Texas birds that might fit the bill: two sparrows, three warblers, and the two kinglets...

It took me a while to track this one down in my field guide. I don't have much experience with female warblers (especially in winter plumage), but I have a fairly good idea of what this species is (not so confident on the subspecies).

In particular, I'm having trouble deciding whether there's really a supercilium on this bird. The description of the "Myrtle" group states that there's a faint white supercilium, but the picture in my Nat Geo guide shows it as being much more obvious than in this picture. In contrast, Sibley's illustration shows the supercilium as being very faint, but it also shows the breast as being much darker overall.

The throat looks somewhat yellowish/pale buff to me, and while it's hard to be certain without another bird to compare it to, I'd be inclined to say that this bird is on the light (as in less brown) side.

I'm leaning toward the "Audubon" group but again, I'm not super confident.

and reference to pale on the throat wrapping around to the cheek combined with the existence of a north-west Mexican subspecies simulans as "the pretender" I'm beginning to think you may be hinting at a certain Aimophola species?

OK John, coronata, I get it! Looks like I'll have to see the photo when I get home...

so if this indeed the one Brian, I think you'll find that it is probably what used to be described as the eastern "Myrtle" variety, the western "Audubon" variety very rare in Houston (and having yellow on the throat)

Houston Audubon Species Account for the Yellow-rumped Warbler

Brian -- after checking several guides and a handful of photos, I think that the NatGeo is rather misleading with regards to the supercilium on Myrtle. I can't find anything that approximates what they show. Of course, I'm not looking at breeding birds, maybe that's what they were trying to depict.

And John, I agree that the cheek appears distinct enough to determine the subspecies.

A further point, better visible on the larger view, is the pattern on the underside of the tail. The Peterson Warbler guide covers that point very nicely.

Ah, I see now- my first impression is the eastern form which is supported by my reference to the Houston Audubon comment above but my Peterson Advanced Birding has some very definitive discussion on the difference between the Myrtle vs Audubon... to summarise:

throat color can be tricky- bright yellow is a sure sgn of Audubon, a bright white throat a sure sign of Myrtle "but many winter birds of either have pale buff or off-white throats" however on the Myrtle "the pale throat extends to the side of the neck, setting off the back edge of a dark ear patch" (John's comment #1) whereas on the Audubon's "the pale throat is usually smaller and more restricted, not spreading to the sides of the neck"...

as again commented by John and supported by Paul at #7 "the dark ear patch almost always contrasts more on Myrtle: it is darker, set off more sharply against the throat and side of the neck" and as noted by Brian at #3, Peterson's continues "often outlined by a pale eyestripe"- (by the way, Audubons can also have a faint stripe behind the eye so that is not a stand-alone mark)...

the breast pattern on a Myrtle "tends more toward narrow streaks on a whitish background" whereas an Audubon's "shows more of an overall clouded grey-brown" (but note again that there is a lot of individual variation so again, it is only a minor field mark)...

brief note is made of the tail in that Audubon's tends to have more white than the Myrtle but "this varies with sex and age in both forms, adult males having the most white and immature females having the least"...

so it would appear that the primary marks we can indeed see above- throat color extending to the ear and the dark ear patch, supported by the secondary breast streaking all point to this being the Myrtle form of the Yellow-rumped Warbler, Dendroica coronata coronata with the Mexican nigrifons and Guatemalan goldmani also out of contention

David, something you posted there didn't sound like what I had just read, but a few minutes resolved it. Dunn and Garrett (Peterson's Warblers) state that "on the folded tail from below, Myrtle shows more extensive white than Audubon's." The difference appears to be towards the outer corners of the outermost rectrices -- Myrtle with broader white near the tip, and restricted black on the outer corner, Audubon's with a narrow white bit, and stronger black corners.

On the other hand, (and here's the resolution, I think) "Myrtle shows white in fewer rectrices.... limited to r4-6 (Audubon's almost always shows at least some white on r3, and many on r2 as well)" Viewing the underside of the tail, we're only looking at r6. (This is largely the sort of mark that's most useful in good photos or in the hand, of course.)

Thanks Paul, I was about to write that I obviously need a copy of the Dunn and Garrett Peterson's but just decided to buy a brand new copy on eBay for $9.50 incl. shipping...!

Found this photo of the tail on a coronata which seems to illustrate the white only on r4/5/6

and if we were not able to see the obvious yellow throat, this photo of the tail on an audubon demonstrates how white is exhibited on r2 through 6