Documentation of
Black-throated Blue Warbler
2025-063
Observer Information
Reporter:
Coen Dexter
1959 Golf Course Lane,
Cortez,
CO 81321
E-mail:
coenbrenda@yahoo.com
Other Observers:
Brenda Wright, Jason St. Pierre, Glenn Dunmire, Erik Hendrickson and many other local birders.
Species, Date, Time and Location Information
Species:
Black-throated Blue Warbler
First Date/Time:
12/26/2025 11:30:00 AM
Last Date/Time:
12/26/2025 12:50:00 PM
Duration (total time in view):
Several minutes off and on in tree and around the house.
County:
Montezuma
Specific Location:
Cortez
Number:
1
Age:
Adult
Sex:
Male
Plumage:
Breeding
Habitat
Private resident, large house with large trees, pond and feeders.
Viewing Conditions
Optics:
10 by 40 binos.
Distance:
Anywhere from a few feet to as much as 100 feet.
Light:
Cloudy but the sun was directly behind us or at right angle to our position.
Description of the Bird
We were in private home viewing bird as it moved from the trees to the house gleaning dried insects from the windows. At times the bird was within a few feet of us as it worked the insects. Rudy Musclow, property owner, first observed the bird several days before he reported it as he thought it was a Black-throated Gray Warbler.
Warbler was small, Blue upper parts, snow white underparts, black throat, and black stripe from throat to base of tail along the side just below the blue wings. The warbler had a white wing patch on the blue wings. In flight the some white in the blue tail. Small bill was dark.
Similar Species Discussion
Other blue and white warblers, Cerulean Warbler, but the throat is white, Black-throated Gray Warbler have a white and black striped head and gray back, and Blackpoll Warblers do not have a blue back or black throat. Most other warblers have some yelow plumage.
The Black-throated Blue Warbler appears to be the northern race as streaks was not present on the back as would be expected for the Appalachian birds.
There are only 7 reported Black-throated Blue Warbler records from western Colorado and only one of these are found in the CFO records. This is the 2nd record for Montezuma County, the first was not photographed, not seen, and only heard. This Black-throated Blue makes it only the 2nd photographed record in western Colordo.
Previous Experience
I have only seen one other Black-troated Blue Warbler in Colorado but I have seen all ABA warblers many times in the east and in Mexico and Central American.
Date Documentation Submitted
2/23/2026 5:45:00 PM
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Location Map
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