the yellow-breasted chat (icteria virens) is a large songbird , formerly considered the most atypical member of the new world warbler family , though the long-standing suspicion is that it does not actually belong there .
its placement is not definitely resolved .
it is the only member of the genus icteria .
found throughout north america , from southern-plains of canada to central mexico during the summer , these birds mainly migrate to mexico and central america , although some of their number may overwinter in coastal areas .
this species occurs in areas where dense shrubby growth is common .
today , its habitat often consists of abandoned farmland and other rural areas where overgrown vegetation proliferates .
if they are considered part of the family parulidae (new world warblers), yellow-breasted chats are the largest species of parulid .
in fact , they can often weigh more than twice as much as other parulid species .
however , their membership in this taxonomic family is disputed .
this species reaches a total length of 17 to 19.1 cm (6.7 to 7.5 in) and a wingspan of 23 to 27 cm (9.1 to 10.6 in) .
body mass can range from 20.2 to 33.8 g (0.71 to 1.19 oz) .
among standard measurements , the wing chord is 7.1 to 8.4 cm (2.8 to 3.3 in), the elongated tail is 6.9 to 8.6 cm (2.7 to 3.4 in), the relatively long , heavy bill is 1.3 to 1.6 cm (0.51 to 0.63 in) and the tarsus is 2.5 to 3.1 cm (0.98 to 1.22 in) .
these birds have olive upperparts with white bellies and bright yellow throats and breasts .
other signature features of yellow-breasted chats are its large white eye-rings and blackish legs .
if seen , this species is unlikely to be mistaken for any other bird .
the yellow-breasted chat is a shy , skulking species of bird , often being only heard but not seen .
the breeding habitats of this species are dense , brushy areas and hedgerows .
the nests of these birds are bulky cups made of grasses , leaves , strips of bark , stems of weeds and lined with finer grasses , wiry plant stems , pine needles and sometimes roots and hair .
nests are invariably placed in thick shrubs and often only about 2.5 m (8.2 ft) above the ground .
they will lay from 3 to 5 creamy white eggs with reddish brown blotches or speckles , incubated by the female , hatch in 11 to 12 days .
both parents tend the young , who fledge in approximately 8 to 11 days .
chats are apparently vigilant guards of their nests , as parasitism by brown-headed cowbirds is not as frequent as with other cup nest builders .
however , they are not as monogamous as other warblers .
in one study in central kentucky , dna fingerprinting revealed that 17% of 29 yellow-breasted chat nestlings were not sired by the male of the social pair and 33% of 9 broods contained at least 1 extra-pair nestling .
yellow-breasted chats are ominvorous birds , and forage in dense vegetation .
mostly , this species feeds on insects and berries , including blackberries and wild grapes .
insects of up to moderate sizes , including grasshoppers , bugs , beetles , weevils , bees , wasps , tent caterpillars , ants , moths and mayflies , are typically predated and will be gleaned from dense vegetation .
other invertebrates , including spiders , are occasionally eaten as well .
uniquely for a passerine of its size , the chat occasionally grips food with its feet before it eats .
the song of this bird is an odd , variable mixture of cackles , clucks , whistles and hoots .
their calls are harsh chak's .
unlike most warblers , this species has been known to mimic the calls of other birds .
thus , less experienced field birdwatchers sometimes overlook chats after mistaking their song for species such as gray catbirds and brown thrashers , which share similar habitat preferences and skulking habits , though are generally much more abundant .
during the breeding season , chats are at their most conspicuous as they will usually sing from exposed locations and even fly in the open while gurgling their songs .
