Prothonotary Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler has edged up: up 19% on the route-weighted index since 1968.
About the Prothonotary Warbler
The Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) 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 892 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 28 states, most concentrated in the Southeastern Coastal Plain.
- Family
- Parulidae · Forest birds
Notable Prothonotary Warbler Trends
No notable trend signals for Prothonotary Warbler. See the full index history below.
Prothonotary Warbler Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Prothonotary Warbler is projected to rise about 12% by 2029 — from 0.40 in 2024 to a central estimate of 0.45 (95% range 0.35–0.55). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±23.9%, with 80% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
| Year | Projected index | 95% low | 95% high |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0.44 | 0.34 | 0.54 |
| 2026 | 0.44 | 0.35 | 0.54 |
| 2027 | 0.45 | 0.35 | 0.54 |
| 2028 | 0.45 | 0.35 | 0.55 |
| 2029 | 0.45 | 0.35 | 0.55 |
Where the Prothonotary Warbler Is Detected
BBS routes recording Prothonotary Warbler, sized by most recent count.
Prothonotary Warbler Population Trend by State
| Alabama | -56% | 1968 | 88 |
| Arkansas | -3% | 1969 | 44 |
| Delaware | +297% | 1968 | 12 |
| Florida | -18% | 1968 | 55 |
| Georgia | -38% | 1968 | 80 |
| Illinois | +234% | 1968 | 36 |
| Indiana | +33% | 1976 | 24 |
| Iowa | insufficient data | n/a | 2 |
| Kansas | +261% | 1997 | 14 |
| Kentucky | +51% | 1968 | 32 |
| Louisiana | +194% | 1969 | 81 |
| Maryland | +129% | 1968 | 36 |
| Michigan | -2% | 1982 | 11 |
| Minnesota | insufficient data | n/a | 3 |
| Mississippi | +308% | 1968 | 67 |
| Missouri | +28% | 1969 | 32 |
| New Jersey | +465% | 1986 | 13 |
| New York | insufficient data | n/a | 4 |
| North Carolina | +308% | 1968 | 69 |
| Ohio | insufficient data | n/a | 11 |
| Oklahoma | -52% | 1970 | 26 |
| Pennsylvania | -25% | 1989 | 6 |
| South Carolina | -39% | 1969 | 36 |
| Tennessee | +121% | 1968 | 33 |
| Texas | -6% | 1969 | 37 |
| Virginia | +32% | 1968 | 34 |
| West Virginia | -63% | 1968 | 4 |
| Wisconsin | insufficient data | n/a | 2 |
Prothonotary Warbler Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
| Oaks and Prairies | +99% | 1969 | 20 |
| Eastern Tallgrass Prairie | +116% | 1968 | 64 |
| Prairie Hardwood Transition | +24% | 1981 | 21 |
| Central Hardwoods | +26% | 1968 | 100 |
| West Gulf Coastal Plain / Ouachitas | -35% | 1969 | 88 |
| Mississippi Alluvial Valley | +147% | 1968 | 68 |
| Southeastern Coastal Plain | +56% | 1968 | 313 |
| Appalachian Mountains | -57% | 1968 | 52 |
| Piedmont | +53% | 1968 | 65 |
| New England / Mid-Atlantic Coast | +150% | 1968 | 65 |
| Peninsular Florida | -50% | 1968 | 15 |
| Gulf Coastal Prairie | -87% | 1969 | 14 |
Prothonotary Warbler Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it up about 19% 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.