Wood Warbler Diet and Size: Feeding Habits, Predators, and Measurements
Wood warblers are colourful migratory birds that visit the UK between April to September. There were around 6,500 breeding age males estimated in the UK in 2016.
Sadly their numbers have dwindled far enough for the species to have been placed on the UK’s Red list for endangered birds. This decline in numbers has been noticed in Europe as well and according to recent estimates, the UK breeding population has decreased by 76% between 1995 and 2020.
Keep reading for much more information on these colourful, lively birds.
Table of Contents
The Dietary Habits Of The Wood Warbler
Wood warblers prefer oak forests or mature woodlands of other tree species. These habitats provide all of the food these energetic little birds need to meet their dietary needs.
What Does A Wood Warbler Eat?
Wood warblers mainly eat insects with the bulk of their diet consisting of;
- Caterpillars
- Flies
- Beetles
- Aphids
- Spiders
When insects are in short supply, wood warblers will supplement their diets with seeds and berries. This is particularly true during migration when insects are less plentiful.
What To Feed A Baby Wood Warbler?
Both parents feed the chicks a mixture of insects with caterpillars being the preferred choice of food as these are rich in the protein needed for the development of the chicks.
However, they will also feed the chicks small insects like flies, ants, beetles and spiders if necessary.
Breeding Habits Of Wood Warblers
Male wood warblers group together with other males and sing to attract females. It has been noted that males that sing in groups tend to be more successful at attracting a mate than those birds that sing solo.
The bird song of the wood warbler has been compared to the sound of a coin spinning on a marble surface. It is a fairly high-pitched sound that increases in speed.
Once they find a mate, the male will get busy setting up a second breeding territory in an attempt to find a second mate.
Do Wood Warblers Mate For Life?
Many wood warblers form monogamous relationships, however, some are polygamous. The male is often busy trying to attract a second female whilst his first mate is busy nest building.
There are only around 20% of all pairings that are polygamous with around 80% of pairings being monogamous. However, the mating bond only lasts for one season.
The Size & Weight Of Wood Warblers
Now let’s look at the size and weight of the wood warbler in order to help identify these fascinating little birds in the field.
How Much Does A Wood Warbler Weigh?
Wood warblers are small passerines and weigh around 8 to 12 grams. That’s around the same as a standard graphite pencil.
Their small size and weight makes it easy for these woodland birds to fly between trees and shrubs in order to catch the insects that make up the largest part of their diet.
How Big Is A Wood Warbler?
The wood warbler is slightly larger than the chiffchaff and has a length of around 12 to 13 cm and a wingspan of 19.5 to 24 cm.
This is very similar in size and wingspan as the goldfinch.
Are Wood Warblers Under Threat?
In the UK the wood warbler has been on the Red List since 2009 as a bird in need of conservation. Elsewhere however, the wood warbler is considered to be a bird of “least concern”.
The Species of European Conservation Concern (SECC) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) both have the wood warbler as a bird of “least concern”.
What Eats A Wood Warbler?
Wood warblers face a constant threat from predators which include jays, sparrowhawks and buzzards from the air. As well as squirrels, stoats, weasels, rats and domestic cats from the ground.
Added to which they are under threat from climatic conditions, loss of habitat and dwindling food supplies as woodland areas are destroyed for urban clearing etc.
Where Can I See Wood Warblers In The UK?
Wood warblers are spring and summer residents to the UK and can be found during the months of April and September in mature close canopy woodlands. They prefer oak and birch forests which are well established.
If you want to spot wood warblers, you will need to travel to wooded uplands in the south west of England, parts of Wales and the Welsh marches, the Peak District, the northern Pennines and Cumbria.
SEE ALSO: Great Skua Diet and Size: Feeding Habits, Predators, and Measurements
Frequently Asked Questions
Wood warblers are fairly common leaf warblers which breed in large areas of northern and temperate Europe. Having said that, they have become a rare sight in the UK over recent years.
Wood warblers don’t live in the UK. They are spring and summer residents only. They come here to breed and raise their young and then fly off to Africa to overwinter.
The wood warbler is slightly larger than the chiffchaff and has a length of around 12 to 13 cm and a wingspan of 19.5 to 24 cm.
