Setophaga



Setophaga is a genus of birds of the New World warbler family Parulidae. It contains at least 34 species. The Setophaga warblers are an example of adaptive radiation with the various species using different feeding techniques and often feeding in different parts of the same tree. (And some others.)

Most Setophaga species are long-range migrants, wintering in or near the New World tropics and seasonally migrating to breed in North America. In contrast, either three Grace's-like Setophaga species, the Adelaide's warbler, the Barbuda warbler, and the Vitelline warbler have winter ranges that extend along the Atlantic coast of Central America as far north as South America. The males in breeding plumage are often highly colorful.

Taxonomy
The genus Setophaga was introduced by the English naturalist William Swainson in 1827. The type species was subsequently designated by Swainson in the same year as the American redstart Setophaga ruticilla. The genus name is from Ancient Greek ses, "moth", and phagos, "eating".

Traditionally, most members (29 species) of Setophaga were recognized as belonging to the genus Dendroica. The only member of Setophaga was the American redstart. More recent genetic research suggested that Dendroica and Setophaga be merged. This change was accepted by both the North American and South American Classification Committees of the American Ornithological Society and the IOC World Bird List. As the name Setophaga (published in 1827) takes priority over Dendroica (published in 1842), those who accept the merger transferred all Dendroica species to Setophaga.

List of species
The genus contains 37 species. They are: