WOOD-WARBLERS Overwintering in the Central Valley of Chiapas

Excerpts from Jim Conrad's
Naturalist Newsletter

from the February 18, 2008 Newsletter written in the community of 28 de Junio, in the Central Valley 8 kms west of Pujiltic, elev. ~700m (2300ft), ~N16.331°, ~W92.472°; southeastern Chiapas state, MÉXICO
WOOD-WARBLERS OVERWINTERING IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY
By "wood-warblers" I mean members of the Wood-warbler Subfamily, the Parulinae, of the newly enlarged Emberizid Family, the Emberizidae. By "Central Valley" I'm referring to the hot, arid valley or depression slicing all the way through the Chiapas Highlands, the place where I find myself now.

At www.backyardnature.net/chiapas/birds-cd.htm these migrant warblers are listed as likely to be found overwintering in the valley:

Yellow-rumped Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Worm-eating Warbler
Yellow-breasted Chat
Black-and-white Warbler
Kentucky Warbler
MacGillivray's Warbler

Northern Parula
Ovenbird
Louisiana Waterthrush
Northern Waterthrush
American Redstart
Orange-crowned Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Wilson's Warbler

Of the above species I've spotted about half. Yet other warbler species occur here permanently, or only when they migrate between wintering grounds farther south than Chiapas, to breeding grounds farther north.

I'm mentioning these warblers mainly to whet your appetite. Migration will soon begin so this is a good time start reviewing field marks and birdsong recordings.