Facts about Prothonotary Warbler

1. 08

   Prothonotary Warblers' preference for swampy habitats with standing water means their breeding range has contracted by approximately 30 percent over the past century due to wetland loss and drainage.

   Prothonotary WarblerMay 14sharehabitatconservationdecline
2. 07

   An individual Prothonotary Warbler can return to the same breeding wetland year after year, with some banded individuals documented at identical sites across 5 or more consecutive breeding seasons.

   Prothonotary WarblerMay 14sharebehaviormigrationlongevity
3. 06

   At 5.1 inches long and weighing approximately 0.4 ounces, Prothonotary Warblers rank among the smallest songbirds in eastern North American wetlands.

   Prothonotary WarblerMay 14sharemeasurementbiologymorphology
4. 05

   Prothonotary Warblers produce two broods per breeding season in southern portions of their range, with clutch sizes averaging 5-8 eggs per nest.

   Prothonotary WarblerMay 14sharereproductionbiologymeasurement
5. 04

   During spring migration, Prothonotary Warblers travel up to 1,200 miles from their South American wintering grounds to reach breeding territories in North American wetlands.

   Prothonotary WarblerMay 14sharemigrationgeographybehavior
6. 03

   Males of this species arrive at breeding grounds in mid-April, typically 1-2 weeks before females, to establish territories in swampy forests across the eastern United States.

   Prothonotary WarblerMay 14sharebehaviormigrationtiming
7. 02

   Cavity-nesting Prothonotary Warblers will opportunistically use nest boxes placed over water, increasing breeding success in wetland habitats by up to 40 percent.

   Prothonotary WarblerMay 14sharebehaviorbreedinghabitat
8. 01

   The Prothonotary Warbler's bright golden-yellow plumage makes it the only all-yellow warbler species breeding east of the Mississippi River.

   Prothonotary WarblerMay 14sharebiologygeographyappearance