(c) Sandy Selesky
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In the shade of America's wooded swamps and river bottom forests, the Prothonotary Warbler is a dash of gold. Its common name refers to Catholic notaries privileged to wear golden hoods. This migratory songbird nests in cavities—of over 50 warblers in North America, only Lucy's Warbler shares this behavior. The future of the Prothonotary Warbler depends in part on the vanishing mangrove habitat within their wintering grounds.
The Prothonotary Warbler is a small songbird with brilliant plumage. The male's golden head contrasts with his large, dark eyes, black bill, and greenish back. Yellow extends over the belly, fading into white underneath the short tail. The wings are grayish-blue with black edges. Females have similar plumage, except with green washing over the crown. On average, Prothonotary Warblers weigh .56 ounces, measure 5.5 inches in length, and fly on wings spanning 8.75 inches.
Excluding the Appalachian Mountains, Prothonotary Warblers breed across most of the midwestern and southeastern United States. They winter along the Caribbean coast of Central American and northeastern South America.
A legend for the range map to the right can be found here.
Prothonotary Warblers breed in wooded swamps, forested river bottoms, and the edges of lakes or ponds. Trees with existing cavities or stumps that can be excavated are vital for nesting. In the winter, this species prefers mangroves and wet forests at low elevation.
Prothonotary Warblers pick insects, spiders, and small snails from the surfaces of tree trunks, fallen logs, and the ground. Males tend to search for food higher in the canopy, but both sexes explore tangles and the water's edge. On their wintering grounds, Prothonotary Warblers supplement their diet with nectar and fruit. They sometimes visit hummingbird feeders.
Male Prothonotary Warblers arrive early to establish territories, using vigorous song, and chasing and fighting behavior. Males adorn false nests with moss and sometimes build a cup. The purpose of these "dummy" nests is not clear, but the male displays in front of all of them. After females arrive a few days later, both sexes display and form pairs for the season. Most often, the birds use abandoned woodpecker holes, but will occasionally dig their own cavities in soft wood, 3 to 10 feet above the water. Prothonotary Warblers also use artificial cavities, including nest boxes, old cartons, cans, and jars.
Female Prothonotary Warblers complete the nest, line it with fine plant materials, and lay 3 to 7 whitish eggs with brown spots. After approximately 12 days of incubation by the female, the young emerge naked and helpless. Both parents tend the young. Fledglings leave the nest after 10 days and can swim short distances by flapping their wings. The parents separate the fledglings into two groups and each parent feeds one group for up to 30 days. Independent juveniles gather in small flocks and tend to remain fairly close to their natal territory.
Prothonotary Warblers migrate early, both to and from their breeding grounds, and probably fly directly over the Gulf of Mexico. These warblers migrate mostly at night, in small single-species flocks. Prothonotary Warblers may migrate short distances within their wintering range to avoid dry conditions.
Dunn, John L. and Kimball L. Garrett.
A Field Guide to Warblers of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, 1997.
Ellison, Aaron M and Elizabeth J. Farnsworth. "Anthropogenic Disturbance of Caribbean Mangrove Ecosystems: Past Impacts, Present Trends, and Future Predictions." Biotropica 28:4, Part A. Special Issue: Long Term Responses of Caribbean Ecosystems to Disturbances (Dec., 1996), pp. 549-565.
Kaufman, Kenn.
Lives of North American Birds. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, 1996.
Petit, L. J. 1999. Prothonotary Warbler (
Protonotaria citrea). In
The Birds of North America, No. 408 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.
Sibley, David Allen. 2000.
The Sibley Guide to Birds. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Wood, Douglas R. "
Prothonotary Warbler Nest Success and Vegetation Characteristics in a Fragmented Oklahoma Landscape." Proceedings of the Oklahoma Academy of Science 84 (2004); pp. 27-31. 31 May 2006
