Cheerful Cerulean Warbler

"Cheerful Cerulean Warbler" by Debbie Oppermann. I was thrilled beyond words to see this rare, threatened Cerulean Warbler at the arboretum in Guelph Ontario Canada. It was spotted a day before I was able to get to the arboretum to try to find it but I was in luck and it perched so prettily on the spring Maple tree branch. The Cerulean Warbler is a small songbird about 10 to 12 centimetres long with long wings and a short tail. The adult male is deep blue on top, with white under parts and a distinctive blue-black band across the throat and lives in the high canopy. It prefers mature deciduous forest, either in riparian areas or dry mountain ridge-tops. This songbird tends to stay high in the canopy, therefore it can be difficult to see the blue color. From below, look for white throat and belly, thin necklace, and dark streaks on sides. All plumages have bold white wingbars. It is a species at risk. A Cerulean Warbler perches on a branch, surrounded by the new growth of the spring leaves. The bird's distinctive stripes stand out against the bright sky.