Prothonotary Warbler

The Prothonotary Warbler is one of the most vividly colored warblers in North America, with a glowing golden-yellow head and underparts that seem to almost glow in the dim light of a swamp forest. Blue-gray wings and tail contrast with the warm yellow body and unstreaked olive-yellow back, and the bird's large, dark eye stands out sharply against the bright plumage.

Its name comes from the golden robes worn by papal clerks known as prothonotaries in the Roman Catholic Church, an allusion inspired by the bird's brilliant coloring. It is the only eastern warbler that nests in cavities, giving it an ecology quite different from most of its relatives.

Key field marks

• Brilliant golden-yellow head and underparts
• Blue-gray wings and tail, olive-yellow back
• Large, dark eye with no eyering or eyeline
• No wingbars
• Stout, all-dark bill

Similar species

Yellow Warbler is superficially similar in overall yellow tone but has yellow (not blue-gray) wings often with yellow edging, a smaller bill, and a preference for more open shrubby habitat rather than flooded forest. Blue-winged Warbler shows a black eyeline and white wingbars, both lacking in Prothonotary Warbler.

Prothonotary Warblers breed in wooded swamps, flooded bottomland forest, and other wetland woodlands across the southeastern and lower midwestern United States, always near standing or slow-moving water, where they use natural cavities and old woodpecker holes, often quite low over the water.

They winter in mangrove forests and other wet lowland habitats from southern Mexico and Central America into northern South America.

Behavior and voice

Prothonotary Warblers forage actively in shrubs and low branches over water, gleaning insects, spiders, and snails, and they will also make short sallies to catch flying insects.

The song is a loud, ringing, repetitive series of notes on essentially one pitch, often rendered as "tweet-tweet-tweet-tweet-tweet."

Nesting

Unlike most warblers, Prothonotary Warblers nest in cavities, using old woodpecker holes, natural tree hollows, or readily accepting nest boxes placed over or near water. Clutches typically contain 3-7 eggs, and pairs may raise two broods in a season where habitat is good.