Prothonotary Warbler Conservation

Prothonotary Warblers (Protonotaria citrea) are one of the few songbirds to nest in cavities. They inhabit much of the southeast and Great Lake states and nest in swampy forests. Their mangrove wintering sites along the coast of Central and South America are rapidly decreasing.

In northern Illinois, Prothonotary Warblers are uncommon but found yearly along riparian areas. I find some nearly every year, although oddly not this year perhaps because of the lack of rain and not searching the right spots at the right time.

Three Ways to Improve Prothonotary Warbler Conservation

• Increase acreage of bottomland and upland forest habitats
• Slow or halt deforestation and degradation of wintering mangrove habitat (restore habitat where possible)
• Develop baseline inventory of Prothonotary Warbler breeding and wintering populations

Conservation Action

Partners in Flight along with other conservation organizations such as Mississippi Valley Joint Venture, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Partners for Wildlife Program, The National Resources Conservation Service Wetland Reserve Program, Ducks Unlimited, and the Nature Conservancy have taken up efforts to increase acreage of proper habitat. Other organizations on the wintering grounds have been limited and stricter laws and enforcement of those laws are needed.

Over the years I have been tracking Prothonotary Warbler sightings to work on finding nesting locations (zero birds this year). I've found a few spots that would be great for increased monitoring and adding nest boxes.
It would be awesome to create a nest box program similar to what has been done for Eastern Bluebirds. However, according to the Birder's Conservation Handbook, nest boxes have "increased local densities of breeding birds, though there is concern that birds breeding in nest boxes may have increased rates of nest predation".
As of 2004, Prothonotary Warbler population was estimated at 1.8 million (39% decline since 1966). Full details on this species and 99 other North American birds at risk can be found in Jeffrey V. Wells' Birder's Conservation Handbook.

Prothonotary Warbler Resources

• National Audubon Society
• Cornell Lab of Ornithology: All About Birds
• American Bird Conservancy
• Birdlife International