Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla) lives in wooded wetlands across Eastern North America. It feeds on insects and crustaceans. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Fascinating facts about the Louisiana Waterthrush
- Louisiana waterthrushes beat most warblers to the party, landing on their breeding streams in late March or early April, almost two months before the bulk of their relatives arrive. By midsummer they're among the first to leave, with some birds heading south as early as July and virtually all gone by late August.
- At 14-17 cm long and spanning 21-25.4 cm across the wings, the Louisiana waterthrush is the largest wood warbler in North America. Adults weigh between 17.4 and 28 g, with a study in Connecticut finding an average of 20.6 g, noticeably heftier than the northern waterthrush's 16.2 g. Its wing chord measures 7.4-8.5 cm, tail 4.4-5.4 cm, bill 1.2-1.5 cm and tarsus 2-2.3 cm.
- Louisiana waterthrushes build their cup nests in rock crevices, mud banks or among tree roots, dense riparian vegetation that shields the clutch from predators. They lay four to six eggs from late May to mid-June; the female incubates them for 12-13 days. After hatching, chicks fledge in nine to ten days, and both parents continue feeding the fledglings for another four weeks.
- Unlike most songbirds, the Louisiana waterthrush does most of its hunting in fast-moving water, a niche shared only with dippers. It snatches aquatic insects, molluscs and crustaceans, but when prey are scarce it can seize salamanders or tiny fish. This adaptation ties the bird tightly to flowing streams.
- The Louisiana waterthrush has become scarcer than it was two centuries ago, mainly because humans have stripped and straightened the streams it needs for breeding. Clearing, channelization, pollution and damming shrink the ribbon of clean, vegetated water, while forest fragmentation from logging, agriculture and development cuts off the continuous canopy it requires. These pressures shrink both food supply and safe nesting sites, putting the species at risk.
Sources
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At a glance
RangeEastern North America
HabitatWooded wetlands
DietInsects and crustaceans
About the Louisiana Waterthrush
In the lush, emerald world of the Louisiana wetlands, the Louisiana Waterthrush moves with a quiet confidence, its feet barely rippling the surface of the calm waters as it forages for insects and crustaceans. With a flick of its tail and a dart of its head, this unassuming songbird navigates the tangled labyrinth of cypress knees and Spanish moss, its melodic voice ringing out across the misty dawn landscape. As it flits between the shadows, the Waterthrush embodies the very essence of its surroundings, a masterful blend of stealth, agility, and beauty.
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