A Pair Of Northern Parulas

This pair of Northern Parulas nested on Hog Island, carefully building their home in the hanging Lichen known as Old Man’s Beard, found on many of our local spruce trees.

Serving as both curtain and camouflage, the lichen protects the two young that await their daily diet of insects.

Northern Parulas are The smallest of the wood warblers in North America, and mainly feed in the mid to upper forest canopy on the tips of branches, using techniques such as stretching, hover-walking, and fly catching to hunt for insects.

Source: Birds of North America

Photos Courtesy of: Susan Schubel