Louisiana Waterthrush
Louisiana Waterthrush has increased: up 43% on the route-weighted index since 1968.
About the Louisiana Waterthrush
The Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla) is a North American member of the Wood-Warblers (Parulidae). In this analysis it is grouped with the forest birds.
- Size
- 4.5–5.5 in long (11–14 cm) — a small, active songbird (typical for the family)
- Habitat
- Woodlands and forest edges, including wooded suburbs and parks.
- Diet
- Insects and spiders gleaned from foliage and bark, with seeds and berries in season.
- Range
- Recorded on 1,166 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 34 states, most concentrated in the Appalachian Mountains.
- Family
- Parulidae · Forest birds
Notable Louisiana Waterthrush TrendsNotable signalsLong-arc shifts the engine flags automatically — sustained declines or increases large enough to stand out from year-to-year noise.Full methodology →
No notable trend signals for Louisiana Waterthrush. See the full index history below.
Louisiana Waterthrush Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Louisiana Waterthrush is projected to stay roughly flat through 2029, near 0.20 (95% range 0.16–0.25). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±17.1%, with 40% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
Where the Louisiana Waterthrush Is Detected
BBS routes recording Louisiana Waterthrush, sized by most recent count.
Louisiana Waterthrush Population Trend by State
Louisiana Waterthrush Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
Louisiana Waterthrush Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it up about 43% since 1968.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.