Guide to North American Birds

Explore more than 800 North American bird species, learn about their lives and habitats, and how climate change is impacting their ability to survive.
birds shown
1 birds
Yellow-breasted Chat
Icteria virens
Yellow-breasted Chats
At a Glance
A bizarre series of hoots, whistles, and clucks, coming from the briar tangles, announces the presence of the Yellow-breasted Chat. The bird is often hard to see, but sometimes it launches into the air to sing its odd song as it flies, with floppy wingbeats and dangling legs, above the thickets. This bird's plumage and vocalizations suggest a cross between an oversized warbler and a mockingbird, however this unique chatty species stands alone as the only member of its family.
Conservation Status
Least Concern
Habitat
Arroyos and Canyons, Desert and Arid Habitats, Fields, Meadows, and Grasslands, Forests and Woodlands, Shrublands, Savannas, and Thickets