This is Bird Note.

The Northern Perula is a tiny bird with a big personality.

Weighing barely more than a nickel, these North American warblers spend their days in search of tasty insects high up in the forest canopy.

The northern perula has a bright yellow throat and white belly.

Their upper parts are slate gray, except for an olive green patch that sits between their wings like a backpack.

Males also sport a handsome chestnut-colored breastband.

To get a good look at this varicolored wonder, first try listening for their unmistakable vocal feats,

like this upward trill ending with a punchy note, a bit like pulling a zipper.

Or a repeating series of boisterous, buzzy phrases.

During the breeding season, males belt out these songs to find a mate and defend territory

in the forests of the eastern U.S. and Canada. Meanwhile, females build small nests by hollowing

out clumps of moss and lichen that hang up to 100 feet above the ground.

After racing their young, Northern Perulas head south to Mexico and the Caribbean for the winter,

where they'll give their voices a bit of a rest till it's time to sing again in spring.

For Bird Note, I'm Ariana Rimmel.

Today's show is sponsored by Gary and Liz Kennedy Ketchison,

who are grateful to Bird Note for introducing us to wonderful stories about birds from around the world,

like the beautiful northern Perula.