If you really want to see a Northern Parula, go no farther than The Greenbrier resort in southeastern West Virginia in spring. At the Greenbrier, and other locations in western Virginia and eastern West Virginia, the Northern Parulas are as common as Robins! They are everywhere - singing from shrubs, low branches, high branches, short trees and high trees!

Description: The tiny four inch Northern Parula has a blue-gray head, back, and wings. It has a yellow belly and a white stomach. There are at least three other distinguishing characteristics of the Northern Parula. It has a pronounced white eye ring, a green triangular patch of feathers on its back, and males have a two-tone marking on their breast, the upper half being dark maroon, and the lower half being light red. Females lack the breast markings.

Range/Habitat/Diet: The Northern Parula ranges throughout the eastern United States. However, in parts of their range Northern Parulas can be very common, while in other parts they are absent. Parulas tend to be most common in northern New England, the Appalachian Mountains, and in the southeast. Parulas prefer mixed woodlands in the north, and wet, deciduous woodlands in the south. They are particularly fond of Spanish Moss in the south, and may only nest where it is abundant. Northern Parulas feed on insects.