ABSTRACT
Wood-warblers are small insectivorous birds that feed by gleaning surfaces of leaves, branches, and/or bark, although some also sally like small flycatchers. Many species are forest dwelling and their diversity peaks in the northern temperate zone, where all are also migratory. Most, however, do not migrate as far south as the central Amazon, and with only one resident species at the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project (BDFFP), this family is relatively poorly represented here. Molt strategies in wood-warblers generally align with migratory distance, with many migratory species following the Complex Alternate Strategy and other short-distance migrants and most nonmigratory species following the Complex Basic Strategy. Males of some migratory species add color to their plumage during the prealternate molt, creating a variety of bright patterns often involving yellows, oranges, greens, blues, and blacks. The juvenile plumage of wood-warblers is soft and fluffy, and is replaced quickly after leaving the nest, often with a partial preformative molt.
