Yellow-Breasted Chat
Icteria virens
The Yellow-Breasted Chat seems more ‘oriole-like’ than ‘warbler-like’. The breeding habitat of this species is dense, brushy areas and hedgerows. The breeding range is throughout North America, from southern-plains Canada to central Mexico during the summer. They mainly migrate to Mexico and Central America, although some of their number may overwinter in coastal areas.
This species is no longer classified as a warbler (family Parulidae). In 2017 science moved the Yellow-Breasted Chat to its own family (Icteriidae), where it is the only species recognised in this newly created family group.
There are two subspecies of Yellow-Breasted Chat. I. v. virens breeds in eastern North America, and I. v. auricollis breeds in the west.
The vocal style of this bird has to be one of the strangest in the avian world. Their so-called song is a mixture of beeps, whistles, squawks and rattles that almost defy description. I think their sounds should be used to create a backup alarm for large vehicles. I’m sure anyone who’s heard this bird will know what I mean.
Yellow-Breasted Chat(Icteria virens) |
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Description: A very "vocal" summer visitor. San Dieguito Coast to Crest Trail, Mule Hill section. Escondodo, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:04:29 9:17 |
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Location:
Mule Hill |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/400 |
File Name: D3X5206-YellowBreastedChat |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Yellow-Breasted Chat(Icteria virens) |
|
Description: A very "vocal" summer visitor. San Dieguito Coast to Crest Trail, Mule Hill section. Escondodo, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:04:29 10:54 |
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Location:
Mule Hill |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X5356-YellowBreastedChat |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Yellow-Breasted Chat(Icteria virens) |
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Description: The riparian thickets below Swan Falls Dam at the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area south of Meridian Idaho. |
Date Taken: 2015:06:01 10:47 |
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Location:
Birds of Prey NCA |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/800 |
File Name: D3X6667-YellowBreastedChat |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Yellow-Breasted Chat(Icteria virens) |
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Description: Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area south of Meridian Idaho. |
Date Taken: 2015:06:01 10:47 |
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Location:
Swan Falls |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/1000 |
File Name: D3X6672-YellowBreastedChat |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Yellow-Breasted Chat(Icteria virens) |
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Description: The riparian thickets below Swan Falls Dam at the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area south of Meridian Idaho. |
Date Taken: 2015:06:01 10:53 |
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Location:
Birds of Prey NCA |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/1000 |
File Name: D3X6681-YellowBreastedChat |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Yellow-Breasted Chat(Icteria virens) |
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Description: Planet Ranch bosque on the eastern side of Bill Williams NWR in Arizona. North of Parker, Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2015:04:29 12:33 |
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Location:
Planet Ranch |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/9.0, 1/800 |
File Name: D3X8392-YellowBreastedChat |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Yellow-breasted Chat(Icteria virens) |
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Description: Found in the riperian zone near the parking area at Border Field, San Ysidro, San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:06:11 7:48 |
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Location:
Border Field |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: JCD3749.YellowBreastedChat |
| © 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Yellow-Breasted Chat(Icteria virens) |
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Description: Goodan Ranch, Sycamore Canyon. Poway, California. San Diego County 2008-06-21. |
Date Taken: 2008:06:21 9:13 |
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Location:
Gooden Ranch |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 |
File Name: JCD7075YellowBreastedChat |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Yellow-Breasted Chat(Icteria virens) |
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Description: This bird was found in the cienega at Buenos Aires NWR in Arivaca, South Central Arizona USA 2003-08-31. |
Date Taken: 2003:08:31 9:15 |
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Location:
Arivaca Cienega |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 |
File Name: JCD_1478YellowBreastedChat |
| © 2003 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Yellow-Breasted Chat(Icteria virens) |
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Description: This bird was found in the cienega at Buenos Aires NWR in Arivaca, South Central Arizona USA 2003-08-31. |
Date Taken: 2003:08:31 9:17 |
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Location:
Arivaca Cienega |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 |
File Name: JCD_1489YellowBreastedChat |
| © 2003 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Yellow-Breasted Chat(Icteria virens) |
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Description: (Icteria virens) Bird on breeding territory at Whelan Lake, near Oceanside. San Diego County, California USA 2004-05-20. |
Date Taken: 2004:05:20 12:35 |
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Location:
Whelan Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 |
File Name: JCD_6518YellowBreastedChat |
| © 2004 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Yellow-Breasted Chat(Icteria virens) |
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Description: Dairymart Ponds, in the Tijuana River Valley Regional Park, San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:06:24 10:14 |
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Location:
Dairy Mart Ponds |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X0062-YellowBreastedChat |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Yellow-Breasted Chat(Icteria virens) |
|
Description: A very "vocal" summer visitor. San Dieguito Coast to Crest Trail, Mule Hill section. Escondodo, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:04:29 9:18 |
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Location:
Mule Hill |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/2000 |
File Name: D3X5216-YellowBreastedChat |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Yellow-Breasted Chat(Icteria virens) |
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Description: Yellow-Breasted Chats are hard to miss if they're in the area, so loud are their unusual vocalizations. I spent the early morning at the Boyce-Thompson Arboretum near Superior, Arizona. The day was sunny and the birds were friendly. |
Date Taken: 2020:05:26 9:13 |
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Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: YellowBreastedChat_D5X5218-Boyce-Thompson |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Yellow-Breasted Chat(Icteria virens) |
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Description: Jerry and I enjoyed our Friday visit to the riparian grove next to the Rio Grande in Albuquerque, New Mexico so much, we returned on Monday to the bosque, as locals call it. Yellow-Breasted Chat vocals are always entertaining, and we captured their images as we explored our way along the hiking and biking trails that weave through the Cottonwood and Mulberry trees. |
Date Taken: 2020:05:18 9:52 |
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Location:
Tingley Beach |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: YellowBreastedChat_D508406-TingleyBeach-ABQ |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Yellow-Breasted Chat(Icteria virens) |
|
Description: Jerry and I enjoyed our Friday visit to the riparian grove next to the Rio Grande in Albuquerque, New Mexico so much, we returned on Monday to the bosque, as locals call it. Yellow-Breasted Chat vocals are always entertaining, and we captured their images as we explored our way along the hiking and biking trails that weave through the Cottonwood and Mulberry trees. |
Date Taken: 2020:05:18 9:59 |
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Location:
Tingley Beach |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: YellowBreastedChat_D508420-TingleyBeach-ABQ |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Yellow-Breasted Chat(Icteria virens) |
|
Description: Yellow-Breasted Chats are hard to miss if they're in the area, so loud are their unusual vocalizations. I spent the early morning at the Boyce-Thompson Arboretum near Superior, Arizona. The day was sunny and the birds were friendly. |
Date Taken: 2020:05:26 9:13 |
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Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: YellowBreastedChat_D5X5207-Boyce-Thompson |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Yellow-Breasted Chat(Icteria virens) |
|
Description: Jerry and I enjoyed our Friday visit to the riparian grove next to the Rio Grande in Albuquerque, New Mexico so much, we returned on Monday to the bosque, as locals call it. Yellow-Breasted Chat vocals are always entertaining, and we captured their images as we explored our way along the hiking and biking trails that weave through the Cottonwood and Mulberry trees. |
Date Taken: 2020:05:18 9:59 |
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Location:
Tingley Beach |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: YellowBreastedChat_D508415-TingleyBeach-ABQ |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Yellow-Breasted Chat(Icteria virens) |
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Description: This image of the chat lacks panache and is here for ID purposes only. Sunday was a day when the birds and then birders increased their respective presence on South Padre Island. Both are to be expected as spring migration steps up the bird numbers moving through on their way north. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:11 8:59 |
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Location:
Sheepshead Bird Sanctuary |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: YellowBreastedChatr_D5X3738-SheepsHead |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Yellow-Breasted Chat(Icteria virens) |
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Description: I love hearing the “songs” of these birds, but in migration they were silent. This weekend provided the “perfect storm” for a warbler fallout on South Padre Island; a cold north wind, rain, and a ton of birds trying to head north. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:17 14:05 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/500 |
File Name: YellowBreastedChat_D5X7258-SPI_ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Yellow-Breasted Chat(Icteria virens) |
|
Description: I love hearing the “songs” of these birds, but in migration they were silent. This weekend provided the “perfect storm” for a warbler fallout on South Padre Island; a cold north wind, rain, and a ton of birds trying to head north. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:17 14:15 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: YellowBreastedChat_D5X7288-SPI_ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Yellow-Breasted Chat(Icteria virens) |
|
Description: I love hearing the “songs” of these birds, but in migration they were silent. This weekend provided the “perfect storm” for a warbler fallout on South Padre Island; a cold north wind, rain, and a ton of birds trying to head north. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:17 14:24 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: YellowBreastedChat_D5X7404-SPI_ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Yellow-Breasted Chat(Icteria virens) |
|
Description: I love hearing the “songs” of these birds, but in migration they were silent. This weekend provided the “perfect storm” for a warbler fallout on South Padre Island; a cold north wind, rain, and a ton of birds trying to head north. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:17 16:51 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/180 |
File Name: YellowBreastedChat_D5X7738-SPI_ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
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