Tennessee Warbler (Vermivora peregrina), Gilbert Water Ranch, Maricopa County

This Tennessee Warbler was first tentatively identified by Michael Moore on 22 February 2009 and then refound and confirmed by him on 31 March 2009.  It was videoed by Tommy Debardeleben on 31 March 2009 and his video grabs are shown below.

Tennessee Warbler was one of the more common of the eastern vagrant warblers prior to 1990 with over a hundred reports.  It was even removed from the review list for a time.  Like many other northerly breeding warblers, it has become much rarer recently and was put back on the review list.  There are fewer than 10 accepted records since 2000.  However, the number of reports has increased in the last couple of years, and this is the third report of Tennessee Warbler just at the Gilbert Water Ranch in that time.  This pattern of decreased then increased recent reports is also being shown in reports of Black-throated Green Warbler, another northerly breeding warbler. 

Note the whitish undertail coverts, short tail and lack of streaking which separate this species from Orange-crowned Warbler.

31 March 2009, videograbs by Tommy Debardeleben