Prothonotary Warbler

Prothonotary Warbler - A Rare Warbler Here 

Prothonotary Warbler [Internet Photo]

The Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) is listed as 'casual' here in New Brunswick by 'Birds of New Brunswick: An Annotated List'.  Sibley, however, indicates it is rare here and I would agree.  I have tried all my life to see this species with very limited success.  I have never seen it in New Brunswick and have only found it in Ontario.  The first New Brunswick specimen was collected at Milltown in 1862.  There have been over a dozen reports over the years with most from the Fundy coast and often Grand Manan.

Prothonotary Warbler [Jennifer Ryder Photo]

The photo above shows a Prothonotary Warbler on the left and an American Goldfinch on the right.  This bird was found on Grand Manan in 2013.

The Prothonotary Warbler is an unmistakable warbler.  The peachy yellow colour is so brilliant it is neon.  The wings are a blue-grey.  The dark gray bill is large and there is white on the tail and on the vent.  We have many small yellow birds but to the discerning eye this one is unmistakable.

The range of this species is the eastern US mainly towards the south.  It is common in wooded swamps or lowland deciduous forest with standing water and dead trees.  We once visited a breeding area for this species in northern South Carolina and the habitat is typical of what is shown in the photo below and as described above - very shaded hardwoods with standing water.  When we found the small breeding population at Point Pelee, ON, the habitat was identical to that in South Carolina.  We were not surprised that the warbler was there as opposed to different habitats in the area.  To us it looked like 'Prothonotary specific habitat'.

Typical Prothonotary Warbler Habitat

Prothonotary Warblers eat insects but also fruit and seeds.  They forage in trees but also on the ground.  In the South this species is known to eat sugar water and nut pieces.  This species is a cavity nester and prefers holes in trees and stumps.  It will also use bird houses and other man-made structures.  It lines the cavity with moss in which it forms a nest cup.  Four to six pink or cream eggs spotted with gray or brown are laid and incubated 12 to 14 days.

Prothonotary Warbler [Jennifer Ryder Photo]

There are only two similar species you might confuse this bird with, the Yellow Warbler and the Blue-winged Warbler.  The Yellow Warbler has yellow wings and undertail coverts.  The Blue-winged Warbler is also a very brilliant yellow, but a medium yellow as opposed to a peachy yellow.  It has a black eyeline and pale wing bars.  Whether it is a Blue-winged Warbler or a Prothonotary Warbler you are looking at, you have a very rare bird for New Brunswick!

The Prothonotary Warbler breeding population at Point Pelee, ON, may be the only one in Canada.  There are only a few pairs but as I watched them I was aware that this remnant of the Carolinian forest had brought its fauna with it.  I enjoyed their brilliant yellow colour and their high-pitched ascending song which some birders interpret as 'sweet sweet sweet'.  These birds appear to be very specific to habitat and I doubt if we will ever get a breeding pair in New Brunswick since we have no true Carolinian habitat.