Red-faced Warbler - Ross Feldner

No it’s not embarrassed, but its startling, unmistakable face leaves no room for guesswork about this bird’s name. Red-faced Warblers are a species of New World warbler that is locally common in mountain forests of conifers and oak at fairly high elevations of 6,600 to 9,800 feet above sea level.

Its nest is a small cup constructed from leaves, grass, and pine needles hidden amongst the debris on the forest floor, buried in the ground, or sheltered under a shrub, log, or rock. They usually lay 3-4 pinkish-white eggs. They have the distinction of being one of only two North American warblers with red plumage, the other being the Painted Redstart.

Its habitat is often referred to as “sky islands” which are the tops of mountains in the deserts and grasslands of the southwestern United States. Red-faced Warblers prefer to forage in dense foliage looking for a variety of insects. They are particularly fond of caterpillars found at the end of branches but will also hover to catch insects. Red-faced Warblers flick their tail frequently when foraging, possibly to startle insects into moving.

It’s a popular postal bird appearing on stamps from El Salvador, Grenada, Barbados, British Virgin Islands and St. Kitts.