Louisiana Waterthrush

(Parkesia motacilla)

Conservation Status
IUCN Red List

LC - Least Concern

NatureServe

N5B - Secure Breeding

S3B - Vulnerable Breeding

Minnesota

Special Concern

Species in Greatest Conservation Need

 
 
Description

The eyebrow line is buff in front of the eye, white behind, and broad in back, not tapered. It continues back to the nape of the neck. The throat is white and unstreaked. The breast and belly are white. The flanks and undertail coverts are tinged buff.

 

Size

4½ to 6¾ in length

10 wingspan

 

Voice

 

Similar Species

Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) eyeline is buff throughout, tapered to a point in back, and ends well before the nape of the neck. The throat is finely streaked. The underparts are buff.

Habitat

Heavily wooded ravines with streams in a large tract of mature forest

Ecology

Migration

Early May to late August

 

Nesting

 

 

Food

Terrestrial and aquatic insects, crustaceans, earthworms.

Distribution

Occurrence

Seldom encountered migrant, uncommon and local breeder

 

Maps

The Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union All Seasons Species Occurrence Map

Taxonomy

Class

Aves (birds)

Order

Passeriformes (perching birds)

Family

Parulidae (New World warblers, wood warblers)

Genus

Parkesia (waterthrushes)

   

This species was formerly included with the ovenbird in the genus Seiurus. Recent mitochondrial DNA studies suggest that the waterthrushes are not closely related to the ovenbird. The genus was split and the waterthrushes were placed in the new genus Parkesia.

   

Subordinate Taxa

 

   

Synonyms

Seiurus motacilla

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Slideshows

Louisiana Waterthrush
Allen Chartier

Louisiana Waterthrush

Louisiana Waterthrush
Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren

Louisiana Waterthrush

Louisiana Waterthrush
JMC Nature Photos

Louisiana Waterthrush

 

slideshow

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Other Videos

Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla) gathering nest material
Rob Curtis

About

Published on Nov 28, 2014

Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla) gathering nest material and going to a hole in a stream band to build their nest.

photo gallery at:
http://www.theearlybirder.com/warblers/la-waterthrush/index.htm

Louisiana Waterthrush. ©Jim Zipp 2011
WIld Bird Video Productions

About

Uploaded on Apr 22, 2011

Louisiana Waterthrush on territory in spring. Connecticut in April and May. Jim Zipp

Louisiana Waterthrush singing
ntbirdman

About

Published on Apr 17, 2014

A Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla) singing in Busey Woods, Urbana, IL on 17-Apr-2014

Louisiana Waterthrush singing in Kent, CT
Daniel Field

About

Published on Jun 3, 2013

A Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla) sings while defending its territory along River Road in Kent, CT.

Birdchase: Search for the Louisiana Waterthrush
Rob Tymstra

About

Published on Jun 11, 2012

Birdchase: Episode 1: Search for the Louisiana Waterthrush. A pilot for a possible series.

 

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