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Breeding Birds of the Bull Run Mountain

The Louisiana Waterthrush (Seiurus motacilla)

The Louisiana Waterthrush, despite its name, is not a thrush and breeds in other states as well as Louisiana. The overall breeding range extends from the southern Great Lakes region south to northern Florida and west to eastern Texas. Most of the winter range extends from central Mexico through Central America into northern South America.

It is one of the more common breeding species of warblers in the Bull Run Mountains, and also the earliest. Males arrive on territory as early as the last week in March. The males sing more frequently when they arrive than later in the season. The song begins with two to four slow, liquid notes followed by a series of three to seventeen rapid notes, lower in pitch. The song is rather loud for a warbler and is beautiful to hear as it echoes in the stream valleys of the mountains. One of the best locations to hear one this spring is by the boardwalk along Mountain Road at Catlett's Branch.

From the conservation standpoint, this species is very important, as it is dependent on clear forest streams for both breeding and wintering sites. Our excellent stream quality in the Bull Run Mountains is why we have a larger breeding population than in other areas.

The Louisiana Waterthrush has been called the "Water Wagtail" since it walks along the edges of streams bobbing its tail and body in the manner of a spotted sandpiper. Preferred food items are mostly aquatic insects and invertebrates and often the bird will turn a leaf over along a stream to look underneath for these meals.

The nest of the Louisiana Waterthrush is not the easiest to find. It is usually along the banks of streams, under overhanging tree roots, or in the banks themselves, concealed under ferns or other overhanging vegetation.

The number of eggs laid can be four to six, but commonly five eggs are laid in a nest constructed of moss, leaves, twigs and other materials. The eggs are white to creamy-white with various amounts of brown speckling and spotting, mostly at the larger end. They hatch in about fourteen days and both parents feed the young. Around ten days after hatching the young are ready to leave the nest.

Just as the adult birds arrived early, they are ready to leave early. By the end of July many will have left the mountains.