Bay-breasted Warbler (Dendroica castanea), E Woodland Rd, Pima County

This Bay-breasted Warbler was discovered and photographed by Richard Fray on 21 November 2009.

One of the rarer of the eastern warblers in Arizona, there are only about 15 previous state records.  However, like some other boreal breeding vagrants, Bay-breasted Warbler has been extremely rare recently with only one record since 1996. 

The hint of rufous on the sides of this bird eliminate all warblers except for Bay-breasted and Chestnut-sided.  Chestnut-sided would have a complete eyering, no dark eyeline, a gray face and a completely white undertail.  In some plumages Bay-breasted can be confused with Blackpoll and Pine Warbler, but these species never have rufous sides. 

21 November 2009, photo by Richard Fray

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