Prothonotary Warbler
Protonotaria citrea
LCLeast Concern
- Family
- New World Warblers (Parulidae)
- Order
- Passeriformes
Overview
The prothonotary warbler (Protonotaria citrea) is a small songbird of the New World warbler family. It is named for its plumage, which resembles the yellow robes once worn by papal clerks (named prothonotaries) in the Roman Catholic Church.
The prothonotary warbler is the only member of the genus Protonotaria and the only eastern warbler that nests in natural or artificial cavities.
These warblers often move with quick, jerky, movements and will even crawl upside down on sticks or trees.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to see it
Destination guides featuring this bird
Canada
Point Pelee National Park
The southern tip of mainland Canada: a spring migrant trap on Lake Erie.
- JJanuary: Poor or no data
- FFebruary: Poor or no data
- MMarch: Poor or no data
- AApril: Poor or no data
- MMay: Best
- JJune: Poor or no data
- JJuly: Poor or no data
- AAugust: Poor or no data
- SSeptember: Good
- OOctober: Poor or no data
- NNovember: Poor or no data
- DDecember: Poor or no data
United States
Magee Marsh
A lakeshore boardwalk famous for close-up warblers every May.
- JJanuary: Poor or no data
- FFebruary: Poor or no data
- MMarch: Poor or no data
- AApril: Good
- MMay: Best
- JJune: Poor or no data
- JJuly: Poor or no data
- AAugust: Poor or no data
- SSeptember: Good
- OOctober: Poor or no data
- NNovember: Poor or no data
- DDecember: Poor or no data
Range and habitat
Breeds eastern USA; winters southeastern Mexico to western Ecuador and Lesser Antilles.
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Prothonotary warbler
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
