A black-throated green warbler with a yellow face perched among leaves. — Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Black-throated Green Warbler

Setophaga virens

A yellow-faced warbler of northern forests that sings a buzzy 'zee-zee-zee-zoo-zee' from the treetops.

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About the Black-throated Green Warbler

Black-throated green warblers are 4.3 to 4.7 inches long and weigh about as much as two nickels. They have olive-green backs, bright yellow faces and black-and-white wings; males have black throats. They live in northern forests of the U.S. and Canada with both evergreen and leafy trees, and winter in mountain forests. They hover to pluck insects from the undersides of leaves.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Setophaga virens^[1]
Size: 4.3 to 4.7 inches long.^[1]
Weight: 0.3 to 0.4 ounce.^[1]
Lifespan: The oldest known lived about 6 years.^[1]
Diet: Insects, plus some berries.^[1]
Habitat: Northern mixed forests; mountain forests in winter.^[1]
Where it lives: Breeds in the northern U.S. and Canada.^[1]
Group life: Active by day; migrates at night.^[1]
Babies: 3 to 5 eggs, incubated for about two weeks.^[1]
Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2020).^[2]

Fun facts

Males have one song for mates and another for rivals.^[1]
Parents split up the chicks, each caring for half.^[1]
It weighs about as much as two nickels.^[1]

Vocabulary

warbler: A small, often colorful songbird that eats insects.
conifer: A tree with cones and needle-like leaves, such as a pine.
migrate: To travel from one region to another with the seasons.
clutch: A group of eggs laid at one time.
least concern: A conservation label meaning a species is widespread and not at risk of dying out soon.

See it in person

Smithsonian's National ZooWashington, D.C. · Bird HouseSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. “Black-throated green warbler.” https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/black-throated-green-warbler (accessed 2026-10-08)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Setophaga virens (Black-throated Green Warbler).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22721689/138782707 (accessed 2026-10-08)

Facts last checked 2026-10-08.

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