Prothonotary Warbler

Welcome to this week’s Wildlife of the Week!

Protonotaria citrea Prothonotary Warbler

This week our Wildlife of the Week is the prothonotary warbler. Often called “swamp warbler,” this small songbird is only five inches long with an eight-inch wingspan. It is named for its brilliant yellow plumage which resembles the yellow robes worn by religious clerks (called prothonotaries) in earlier centuries. With their bright yellow body, blue-gray wings and tail, and the even brighter yellow head on males, they are easy to spot flitting through hardwood swamps, their preferred habitat. They forage in low vegetation in swamps and along creeks, hunting for insects, worms and snails. They are cavity nesters; among warblers, a trait unique to prothonotary and Lucy’s warblers.

While they can seem locally abundant, their overall numbers are decreasing due to habitat loss and parasitism by brown-headed cowbirds. Their nonbreeding range is from Mexico into South America, they are in Alabama during breeding season. They have a memorable sweet-sweet-sweet-sweet call and combined with their bright color they are easy to spot. The prothonotary warblers in the pictures were in the cypress swamp around Tom Atkeson Trail next to the Visitor Center where they are frequently seen from April through August. Other good places to see them on the refuge are along the Hiking and Biking Trail near Dinsmore Slough, Dancy Bottoms Boardwalk and Beaverdam Boardwalk.

(Photos by Tom Ress)