Golden-winged Warbler - Vermivora chrysoptera

Golden-winged Warbler has a partial preformative molt; prealternate molts are generally absent or at most limited to some head and body feathers. Both age and sex can usually be easily determined by plumage throughout the year.

Golden-winged Warbler frequently hybridizes with Blue-winged Warbler; the appearance of hybrids can be somewhat variable, but the general principles of ageing and sexing can usually be applied.

Quick tips

• Examine the primary coverts - on DCB/DCU (AHY/ASY) individuals they are dark gray with pale edging, while on FCF/FCU (HY/SY) birds they are brownish and without edging.
• Look at the throat and cheeks - on DCB/DCU (AHY/ASY) males both are solid black, on FCF/FCU (HY/SY) males they are blackish to black, on DCB/DCU (AHY/ASY) females they are gray but distinct, and on FCF/FCU (HY/SY) females they are pale gray and sometimes the throat patch is indistinct.
• Consider the crown - on DCB/DCU (AHY/ASY) males it is bright yellow, on FCF/FCU (HY/SY) males it is yellow, on DCB/DCU (AHY/ASY) females it is greenish-yellow, and on FCF/FCU (HY/SY) females it is largely greenish.
• Examine the rectrices - on FCF/FCU (HY/SY) birds they are relatively narrow and tapered to a point with relatively small white patches on the outer feathers, while on DCB/DCU (AHY/ASY) birds they are more broad and rounded toward the tip, with larger white patches.

Species account prepared by McGill Bird Observatory (2016). Last updated by Marcel Gahbauer (Mar 2022)