Wilsonia

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Classis: Aves
Subclassis: Carinatae
Infraclassis: Neornithes
Parvclassis: Neognathae
Ordo: Passeriformes
Subordo: Passeri
Parvordo: Passerida
Superfamilia: Passeroidea
Familia: Parulidae
Genus: Wilsonia
Species: W. canadensis - W. citrina - W. pusilla

Name

Wilsonia Bonaparte, 1838

Wilsonia is a small genus of New World warblers which breed in North America. They are migratory, wintering south of their breeding ranges in Central America, the West Indies or South America.

The three species are:

* Hooded Warbler, Wilsonia citrina
* Wilson's Warbler, Wilsonia pusilla
* Canada Warbler, Wilsonia canadensis

Wilsonia warblers are 12-13 cm long. They have yellow underparts and black head markings in at least the adult male plumage. Two species have plain olive green-brown back, but the Canada Warbler has grey upperparts and is also migrates much further than the other species in the genus.

The breeding habitat is broadleaved woodlands with dense undergrowth. These birds nest low in a bush or on the ground, laying 3-6 eggs in a cup nest.

Wilsonia warblers feed on insects, often caught by flycatching, and they have distinctive songs and loud chip calls.

Some authorities suggest that the genus Wilsonia should include the Red-faced Warbler, which is generally put in the genus Cardellina.[1]

This genus was named to commemorate the American ornithologist Alexander Wilson.

References

1. ^ Dunn, Jon; Garrett, Kimball (1997). Warblers. New York: Houghton Mifflin. p. 571. ISBN 0-395-78321-6.

* Curson, J., Quinn, D. & Beadle, D. (1994). New World Warblers. Helm. ISBN 0-7136-3932-6