During spring migration season in an old-growth forest like Inwood Hill Park, be sure to look for birds wandering along the park paths or in the dense foliage near the ground. While we are often straining our necks looking for warblers and other small songbirds in the high canopy, some warblers like the Ovenbird or a thrush like the Veery may sometimes be found near our feet.
The forest floor contains a diverse concoction of tree debris, rotting leaves, and shade-loving plants, an environment beneficial for insects. Over the past week or so, I have seen some Ovenbirds and Veeries without even trying. I saw both this morning in the low branches of the highest ridge.
The Ovenbird, named for the covered oven-shaped nest it builds low to the ground, is a New World warbler and the only member of the genus Seiurus. It eats insects and thrives in a mixed forest environment such as in Inwood Hill Park.
The Ovenbird is distinguished by bold spots and stripes on its chest, and an orange and black striped crown. The crown is sometimes hard to see, but occasionally it will raise it. The bird will look at you with big eyes. Listen for its tea-cher song.
The Veery is a thrush that winters in Brazil and visits us in the springtime. This pretty reddish-brown bird with a pale chest may be seen slowly walking along forest paths looking for insects and fruit. Like the Ovenbird, the Veery will build nests close to the ground.
Since my last report on April 22, I’ve seen Baltimore Orioles, Gray Catbirds, Turkey Vultures, more Palm Warblers and Yellow-rumped Warblers, Northern Flickers, Tree Swallows, and more. I’ve only caught glimpses of other warblers, but many of them are just arriving this week.
I had a lifer on April 24 – a Brown Thrasher. This fairly large bird, a member of the same family that includes catbirds and mockingbirds, caught me by surprise one morning up on the ridge. It was in the bushes, apparently its favorite place. It can also sing like the mockingbird and be just as aggressive defending its nest. It’s an intense-looking bird, and I gave it plenty of distance.
World Migratory Bird Day 2026 takes place Saturday, May 9. The theme is “Every Bird Counts – Your Observations Matter.”
Cover: Ovenbird in Inwood Hill Park. May 2, 2026. More sightings on the May 2026 Sightings page.
Recent posts
- Birds on the Forest Floor: Ovenbird and Veery
- A Flurry of Yellow-rumped Warblers, Northern Flickers Flickering, and a Great Egret Returns
- The Kinglets of the Forest, with More Stories and Tech-Related Mishaps in the Age of Digital Birding
- Northern Mockingbird – The Bossiest Singer in the Park
- An Early Spring Preview of the Birds of Inwood
Birds of Inwood 
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