The Orange-crowned Warbler is an understated, olive-yellow species often overlooked despite its abundance. It is an early migrant, moving north through Arizona in March and again southward by September. It frequents low shrubs and trees, searching for caterpillars and spiders among leaves. The orange crown patch, rarely visible, gives the bird its name. During migration, Orange-crowned Warblers are common in desert washes, riparian areas, and suburban gardens, where their soft, trilled song may be heard. In Arizona’s higher elevations, small numbers breed in dense willow thickets.
