Orange-crowned Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler has surged: up 293% on the route-weighted index since 1970.
About the Orange-crowned Warbler
The Orange-crowned Warbler (Leiothlypis celata) 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 721 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 13 states, most concentrated in the Northern Pacific Rainforest.
- Family
- Parulidae · Forest birds
Notable Orange-crowned Warbler Trends
Orange-crowned Warbler has surged in surveyed states: up 293% on the route-weighted index since 1970.
Orange-crowned Warbler Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Orange-crowned Warbler is projected to rise about 43% by 2029 — from 0.91 in 2024 to a central estimate of 1.3 (95% range 0.89–1.7). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±48.3%, with 20% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
| Year | Projected index | 95% low | 95% high |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.2 | 0.83 | 1.7 |
| 2026 | 1.3 | 0.84 | 1.7 |
| 2027 | 1.3 | 0.86 | 1.7 |
| 2028 | 1.3 | 0.87 | 1.7 |
| 2029 | 1.3 | 0.89 | 1.7 |
Where the Orange-crowned Warbler Is Detected
BBS routes recording Orange-crowned Warbler, sized by most recent count.
Orange-crowned Warbler Population Trend by State
| Alaska | +331% | 1973 | 123 |
| Arizona | -83% | 1982 | 8 |
| California | +32% | 1970 | 176 |
| Colorado | +416% | 1973 | 68 |
| Idaho | +204% | 1973 | 36 |
| Montana | +65% | 1970 | 40 |
| Nevada | +29% | 1997 | 11 |
| New Mexico | -39% | 1977 | 13 |
| North Dakota | insufficient data | n/a | 1 |
| Oregon | -65% | 1970 | 94 |
| Utah | -57% | 1978 | 46 |
| Washington | -58% | 1970 | 83 |
| Wyoming | -54% | 1974 | 22 |
Orange-crowned Warbler Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
| BCR 2 | -29% | 1985 | 20 |
| BCR 4 | +70% | 1978 | 68 |
| Northern Pacific Rainforest | -4% | 1970 | 158 |
| Great Basin | -21% | 1970 | 99 |
| Northern Rockies | +190% | 1970 | 123 |
| Sierra Nevada | -5% | 1973 | 34 |
| Southern Rockies / Colorado Plateau | +988% | 1972 | 115 |
| Coastal California | +160% | 1970 | 87 |
| Sierra Madre Occidental | -87% | 1982 | 8 |
Orange-crowned Warbler Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it up about 292% since 1970.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.