Louisiana Waterthrush

Seiurus motacilla

Watercolor by Larry McQueen (20962 bytes)


Description: Dark brown above, whitish below and on supercilium. Dark streaking on breast. Best distinguished from very similar Northern Waterthrush by bolder, longer supercilium that broadens behind the eye and by pink legs. Habitat should be considered when identifying waterthrushes. Song is best indicator of species.


Song: Three or four loud, slurred notes followed by a jumble of fading, twittering notes.

Recording
Produced by: Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology.


Distribution: Breeding range is from central Texas north to eastern Wisconsin east to extreme southern Maine south to northern Florida panhandle inland to Georgia, the Carolinas, and Virginia. Breeds in woodlands along fast-moving, high-gradient rocky streams and brooks.

Winters primarily from Mexico south to Panama. Also in the Bahamas and Greater Antilles.
Status: Uncommon because of habitat preferences. No strong population trends yet determined. Local declines where lumbering results in clouded water and siltation of streams. Deforestation might be negatively impacting wintering habitat. Breeding Bird Survey
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