Bird GuideWood WarblersFan-tailed Warbler
Fan-tailed Warbler
Basileuterus lachrymosus

At a Glance

In Mexico and Central America, this large warbler is a shy denizen of the understory in dense woods. As it skulks near the ground, it often flips its long tail about or fans it wide open, displaying the white spots at the tip. Lone Fan-tailed Warblers have strayed into Arizona a few times, mostly appearing in late spring in canyons just north of the border.
Category
Perching Birds
Conservation
Low Concern
Habitat
Arroyos and Canyons, Forests and Woodlands, Shrublands, Savannas, and Thickets
Behavior
Flitter, Rapid Wingbeats

Range & Identification

Description

5 3/4" (15 cm). Large and long-tailed for a warbler, with white tips on outer tail feathers; spreads and flips tail while perched. Very dark above with yellow crown patch, white spots around eye. Yellow below, with brownish wash across chest.
Size
About the size of a Sparrow
Wing Shape
Broad, Pointed
Tail Shape
Rounded, Square-tipped

Songs and Calls

Song a clear, whistled tyew tyew tyew tyew whee-ta-wee, falling then rising. Call a distinctive, descending tseeoo.
Call Pattern
Falling, Rising
Call Type
Chirp/Chip, Whistle

Climate Vulnerability

Conservation Status