Animalia Life

Seiurus aurocapillus
SUBFAMILY
Parulinae
TAXONOMY
Seiurus aurocapillus Linnaeus, 1766, at sea off Haiti. Two subspecies.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
English: Teacherbird; French: Paruline couronnйe; German: Pieperwaldsдnger; Spanish: Reinita Hornera.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
5.5–6.5 in (14–16.5 cm). Brownish upperparts, two black stripes on crown of head with a rusty orange patch between. White throat with brown stripes. Underparts are white with mottled-brown breast, somewhat similar in appearance to a wood thrush.
DISTRIBUTION
Breeds in the northern half of the United States from the eastern coast through the Midwest and into Montana, and well into Canada from the Atlantic Ocean to Alberta.
HABITAT
Mixed and deciduous woods lacking dense bushy undergrowth.
BEHAVIOR
Instead of flitting from tree to tree in characteristic warbler fashion, it runs about the fallen leaves and tosses them aside in its search for hidden arthropods. It responds to the presence of an intruder, particularly when the latter is near the nest, by flying up, uttering “tick” calls or even by erecting the orangecolored feathers of its crown patch. It also sometimes mimics an injured bird to draw away the intruder. Its song is one of the best-known North American bird songs, and consists of a sequence of “teach-er, teach-er teach-er,” which gets progressively louder. The popular name “teacherbird” derives from the song, which is delivered from the ground or from low to fairly high-placed branches.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Mainly arthropods, earthworms, and snails.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Courtship involves in-flight singing, posturing, and pursuit by the males. The ovenbird makes its nests on the ground, using grass and stems topped with leaves for the roof, and grass and hair for the interior lining. The nest resembles a Dutch oven, and is responsible for the bird’s common name. Typically lay three to six speckled eggs, which hatch about two weeks later.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not threatened. Their nests, however, are becoming more vulnerable to predators that prefer fragmented habitat, which is becoming more plentiful in their breeding grounds.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
Particularly valued for their songs—they are seldom seen but frequently heard.

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