Northern Parula
Setophaga americana
Northern Parula · Central Park · 21 September 2025
A Northern Parula in Central Park in September, on its way from the northern woods to the Caribbean. It breeds in the moss-hung forests of the Northeast and Canada and passes through the city's parks twice a year, and it is one of the smallest warblers to do so.
Blue-grey above, yellow at the throat, with two crisp white wing bars, and the blurred wingtip shows how little it sits still while foraging. Parulas nest almost exclusively in hanging strands of old man's beard lichen in the north and Spanish moss in the south, and are simply absent from good forest where neither grows.
Birds, insects, plants and other wildlife, mostly from Brooklyn, with some from further afield.
Every photograph comes with notes on what it is.
Selected
Favourite shots. Filter by subject, or .
Places
Everything, by where it was taken.
Species
Larger catalogue of photos organized by species of animal or plant.
Catalogue
Every photograph, newest first. Narrow it by period, place or species; the three work together.
Updates
Coming soon. Sign up at the bottom of the page for updates.