Warblers are a huge family of small songbirds found across the Americas. The Saint Lucia warbler is one of the so-called yellow warblers, and it is one of the most commonly seen birds on the island. It is not shy — you will often spot one hopping among low branches, or even in garden bushes close to people.
The warbler feeds mainly on insects, picking them off leaves, bark and flower heads with its fine, pointed bill. It moves with quick, bouncy hops and constantly flicks its tail as it hunts. In gardens and parks it helps control insect populations, so farmers and gardeners consider it a helpful neighbour.
Warblers build small, neat cup-shaped nests tucked into a fork of branches. Both parents help to feed the chicks, which grow very quickly and leave the nest in only a couple of weeks. Young warblers look duller than their parents at first, but they gradually develop their full bright colours over their first year.