July 18, 2025: In early summer, the Common Yellowthroat is often heard but not seen, as it sings loudly from dense, low vegetation where it forages and nests, remaining hidden in thick underbrush. This Yellowthroat was recently seen in thickets along the Shining Sea Bike Path.

In early summer on Cape Cod, the Common Yellowthroat is a frequent yet elusive presence in marshes, wet thickets, shrubby edges, and overgrown fields. Though abundant, it often goes unseen due to its secretive habits and preference for dense, low vegetation, where it forages and nests close to the ground. Males are often heard delivering their distinctive, rolling “witchety-witchety-witchety” song from a concealed perch, but they rarely expose themselves in the open.

This warbler’s habit of skulking through tangled underbrush and darting between cover makes it challenging to spot. Even when responding to territorial calls, it may only briefly appear before diving back into dense cover. The contrast between its loud, persistent song and its hidden behavior is a classic hallmark of this species during breeding season. Birders are more likely to hear than see the Common Yellowthroat unless they patiently wait or gently coax it into view with pishing calls!