JUNE 2023 - Rouge National Urban Park, Observation of the month - Lawrence’s Warbler

Considered at one time to be it’s own species, DNA testing now shows that the Lawrence’s Warbler is a hybrid between the Golden-winged Warbler and the Blue-winged Warbler. The offspring of these two species can sometimes take on two different looking hybrid forms depending on the genes that are passed on.

When the recessive genes for a black throat and overall yellowish plumage are passed on you get the rarer Lawrence’s Warbler hybrid.
When the more dominant genes are passed on you get the more common Brewster’s Warbler hybrid which lacks the black throat and is lighter in colour overall.

This months observation by @pinemartyn is of the Lawrence’s Warbler hybrid (Golden-winged × Blue-winged Warbler) with it’s black throat and mask and overall yellow plumage.
Click on photo to see full observation details including when and where in the park this bird was seen.