Black-Throated Gray Warbler
Setophaga nigrescens
The Black-Throated Gray Warbler breeds in western North America, its range extending from southwestern British Columbia along the Pacific coast south to southern California, and the mountains of northern Baja California (Mexico). The breeding range extends east to include the Great Basin and the southwestern Rocky Mountain states. They spend winters mostly in Mexico.
Formerly classified as a member of Dendroica (wood warbler), the genus of many new world warblers was changed in 2011, when geneticists weighed in with results of ongoing studies of avian genomes. The new genus for this bird is Setophaga (moth eater).
Today’s science officially recognises no subspecies for the Black-Throated Gray Warbler (i.e. they are monotypic).
I have met Black-Throated Gray Warblers in California, Utah, Arizona, and Texas. I’ve even had them as yardbirds at my southern California home. My best experiences have come from Santa Rosa Mountain in southern Riverside County (California), where I first met them. But my most surprising meeting was while I visited Quinta Mazatlan in McAllen (Texas) in February 2021. It must have been a wayward traveler, because it was far afield from its appointed rounds for winter.
20 Photos

Black-throated Gray Warbler(Setophaga nigrescens) |
Description: (Setophaga nigrescens) Foraging at the Garnet Queen Creek Crossing on Santa Rosa Mountain. Southern Riverside County, California USA 2011-09-10. |
Date Taken: 2011:09:10 11:03 |
Location:
Santa Rosa Mountain |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/200 |
File Name: D3X2440-BlackThroatedGrayWarbler |
© 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Black-Throated Gray Warbler(Setophaga nigrescens) |
Description: At the 'Springs' on Santa Rosa Mountain. Elevation 7400' on southern Riverside County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:08:30 8:26 |
Location:
Santa Rosa Mountain |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/40 |
File Name: D3X8544-BlackThroatedGrayWarbler |
© 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Black-Throated Gray Warbler(Setophaga nigrescens) |
Description: At the 'Springs' on Santa Rosa Mountain. Elevation 7400' on southern Riverside County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:08:30 15:14 |
Location:
Santa Rosa Mountain |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/125 |
File Name: D3X9347-BlackThroatedGrayWarbler |
© 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Black-Throated Gray Warbler(Setophaga nigrescens) |
Description: (Setophaga nigrescens) This bird was seen on my drive through Zion National Park near Springdale, Utah USA 2015-05-06. |
Date Taken: 2015:05:06 13:30 |
Location:
Zion National Park |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/160 |
File Name: D3X9426-BlackThroatedGrayWarbler |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Black-throated Gray Warbler(Setophaga nigrescens) |
Description: (Setophaga nigrescens) A bird met at the springs on Santa Rosa Mountain, Southern Riverside County, California USA 2005-09-02. |
Date Taken: 2005:09:02 9:31 |
Location:
Santa Rosa Mountain |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/6.3, 1/60 |
File Name: JCD0803BlackThroatedGrayWarbler |
© 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Black-throated Gray Warbler(Setophaga nigrescens) |
Description: Santa Rosa Mountain, Southern Riverside County, California. |
Date Taken: 2004:08:04 15:18 |
Location:
Santa Rosa Mountain |
Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/60 |
File Name: JCD_7943BlackThroatedGrayWarbler |
© 2004 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Black-throated Gray Warbler(Setophaga nigrescens) |
Description: (Setophaga nigrescens) They come for the water at the springs on Santa Rosa Mountain, Southern Riverside County, California USA 2014-08-04. |
Date Taken: 2004:08:04 15:57 |
Location:
Santa Rosa Mountain |
Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/60 |
File Name: JCD_8022BlackThroatedGrayWarbler |
© 2004 Jack Daynes, www.shadetree-imaging.com |


Black-throated Gray Warbler(Setophaga nigrescens) |
Description: Santa Rosa Mountain, Southern Riverside County, California. |
Date Taken: 2004:08:04 16:01 |
Location:
Santa Rosa Mountain |
Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 700 mm, f/8.0, 1/60 |
File Name: JCD_8046BlackThroatedGrayWarbler |
© 2004 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Black-throated Gray Warbler(Setophaga nigrescens) |
Description: (Setophaga nigrescens) They come for the water at the springs on Santa Rosa Mountain, Southern Riverside County, California USA 2014-08-04. |
Date Taken: 2004:08:04 16:02 |
Location:
Santa Rosa Mountain |
Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/60 |
File Name: JCD_8050BlackThroatedGrayWarbler |
© 2004 Jack Daynes, www.shadetree-imaging.com |


Black-Throated Gray Warbler(Setophaga nigrescens) |
Description: The springs on Santa Rosa Mountain, at 7500 feet elevation in southern Riverside County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:08:30 17:47 |
Location:
Santa Rosa Mountain |
Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: D723948-BlackThroatedGrayWarbler |
© 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Black-Throated Gray Warbler(Setophaga nigrescens) |
Description: The Springs at Santa Rosa Mountain. Riverside County, California. |
Date Taken: 2015:08:13 9:54 |
Location:
Santa Rosa Mountain |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/200 |
File Name: D3X3953-BlackThroatedGrayWarbler |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Black-Throated Gray Warbler(Setophaga nigrescens) |
Description: The Springs at Santa Rosa Mountain. Riverside County, California. |
Date Taken: 2015:08:13 11:01 |
Location:
Santa Rosa Mountain |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/400 |
File Name: D3X4154-BlackThroatedGrayWarbler |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Black-throated Gray Warbler(Setophaga nigrescens) |
Description: Dairy Mart Ponds at the Tijuana River Valley Regional Park, San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:05:03 9:19 |
Location:
Dairy Mart Ponds |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/4000 |
File Name: D3X5656-BlackThroatedGrayWarbler |
© 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Black-Throated Gray Warbler(Setophaga nigrescens) |
Description: At the 'Springs' on Santa Rosa Mountain. Elevation 7400' on southern Riverside County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:08:30 8:06 |
Location:
Santa Rosa Mountain |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/30 |
File Name: D3X8405-BlackThroatedGrayWarbler |
© 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Black-Throated Gray Warbler(Setophaga nigrescens) |
Description: Incinerator Ridge on Mount Lemmon. Near Tucson, Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2017:04:27 15:54 |
Location:
Incinerator Ridge |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/500 |
File Name: BlackThroatedGrayWarbler_D5X8761 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Black-Throated Gray Warbler(Setophaga nigrescens) |
Description: The Springs at Santa Rosa Mountain. Riverside County, California. |
Date Taken: 2015:08:13 9:33 |
Location:
Santa Rosa Mountain |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/100 |
File Name: D3X3822-BlackThroatedGrayWarbler |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Black-Throated Gray Warbler(Setophaga nigrescens) |
Description: I almost missed this bird, but it showed up when I was looking for a flycatcher I’d seen moments before. I spent a lovely day walking the paths of Quinta Mazatlan, a 20 acre reserve in McAllen (Texas). Late February may not be the best time to chase birds in the area, but those I met pleased me. |
Date Taken: 2021:02:23 11:32 |
Location:
Quinta Mazatlan |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: BlackThroatedGrayWarbler_D5X5063-QuintaMazatlan_TX |
© 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Black-Throated Gray Warbler(Setophaga nigrescens) |
Description: Black-Throated Gray Warblers may not breed here in the Anza-Borrego desert, but pass through as they head further north to spawn their next generation. |
Date Taken: 2023:03:14 11:13 |
Location:
Tamarisk Grove |
Camera Information: NIKON Z 9, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: BlackThroatedGrayWarbler_Z9X0958_Anza-Borrego_TamariskGrove |
© 2023 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Black-Throated Gray Warbler(Setophaga nigrescens) |
Description: Black-Throated Gray Warblers may not breed here in the Anza-Borrego desert, but pass through as they head further north to spawn their next generation. |
Date Taken: 2023:03:14 11:13 |
Location:
Tamarisk Grove |
Camera Information: NIKON Z 9, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: BlackThroatedGrayWarbler_Z9X0952_Anza-Borrego_TamariskGrove |
© 2023 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Black-Throated Gray Warbler(Setophaga nigrescens) |
Description: Black-Throated Gray Warblers may not breed here in the Anza-Borrego desert, but pass through as they head further north to spawn their next generation. |
Date Taken: 2023:03:14 11:12 |
Location:
Tamarisk Grove |
Camera Information: NIKON Z 9, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: BlackThroatedGrayWarbler_Z9X0881_Anza-Borrego_TamariskGrove |
© 2023 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |

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