Photo: Ant.tab / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Northern Waterthrush
Parkesia noveboracensis
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) is a member of the Parulidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 16.3 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Parulidae New World Warblers
- Genus Parkesia
- Species noveboracensis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 16.3 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Parulidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Endangered
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Northern Waterthrush is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense scrub and shrubland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Northern Waterthrush is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) belongs to the Parulidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans North America. Its distribution covers NA Alaska through Canada to nw, ne USA.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 16.3 g, with a wing length of about 7.4 cm and a tail of around 5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 7.6 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Northern Waterthrush?
The Northern Waterthrush is a small bird that weighs around 16.3 g.
Where does the Northern Waterthrush live?
The Northern Waterthrush is found across North America with a range covering NA Alaska through Canada to nw, ne USA, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Northern Waterthrush belong to?
The Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) belongs to the Parulidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Northern Waterthrush eat?
The Northern Waterthrush is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Northern Waterthrush migrate?
The Northern Waterthrush is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Northern Waterthrush endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Northern Waterthrush make?
1 real field recording of the Northern Waterthrush — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Northern Waterthrush's range?
The Northern Waterthrush has a mapped global range of about 7.6 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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