Plants and Animals
Protonotaria citrea Prothonotary warbler
Key Characteristics
Prothonotary warblers have several unique characteristics that help in their identification. They are bright golden yellow on the head, breast, and belly (males more so than females) with an olive green back, gray wings, and white undertail coverts. Males have a darker bill than females. They are one of only two cavity nesting warblers in North America and the only one in Michigan.
Status and Rank
US Status: No Status/Not Listed
State Status: SC - Special Concern (rare or uncertain; not legally protected)
Global Rank: G5 - Secure
State Rank: S3 - Vulnerable
Occurrences
| County | Number of Occurrences | Year Last Observed |
|---|---|---|
| Allegan | 3 | 2025 |
| Berrien | 4 | 2022 |
| Branch | 2 | 1997 |
| Calhoun | 2 | 2025 |
| Cass | 1 | 2024 |
| Clinton | 1 | 2021 |
| Eaton | 1 | 2007 |
| Gratiot | 1 | 2006 |
| Ingham | 1 | 2021 |
| Ionia | 3 | 2021 |
| Kalamazoo | 4 | 2025 |
| Kent | 1 | 2007 |
| Lenawee | 1 | 2018 |
| Macomb | 1 | 2003 |
| Muskegon | 3 | 2005 |
| Newaygo | 1 | 2007 |
| Oceana | 1 | 1999 |
| Saginaw | 1 | 2003 |
| St. Joseph | 3 | 2024 |
| Van Buren | 1 | 2025 |
| Washtenaw | 4 | 2024 |
| Wayne | 1 | 2006 |
Information is summarized from MNFI's database of rare species and community occurrences. Data may not reflect true distribution since much of the state has not been thoroughly surveyed.
Habitat
The Prothonotary warbler is a hole-nesting warbler which will accept bird houses. In southern Michigan the preferred habitat is bottom land forests with streams from 20-40 m wide bordered by red maple and associated trees.
Natural Community Types
For each species, lists of natural communities were derived from review of the nearly 6,500 element occurrences in the MNFI database, in addition to herbarium label data for some taxa. In most cases, at least one specimen record exists for each listed natural community. For certain taxa, especially poorly collected or extirpated species of prairie and savanna habitats, natural community lists were derived from inferences from collection sites and habitat preferences in immediately adjacent states (particularly Indiana and Illinois). Natural communities are not listed for those species documented only from altered or ruderal habitats in Michigan, especially for taxa that occur in a variety of habitats outside of the state.
Natural communities are not listed in order of frequency of occurrence, but are rather derived from the full set of natural communities, organized by Ecological Group. In many cases, the general habitat descriptions should provide greater clarity and direction to the surveyor. In future versions of the Rare Species Explorer, we hope to incorporate natural community fidelity ranks for each taxon.
Management Recommendations
Efforts should be made to preserve and expand existing floodplain and swamp forests which may help to reduce the percentage of nests lost to Brown-headed cowbird parasitism, predators like raccoons, and competition with House wrens for cavities. Older trees in particular provide the snags and rotten branches that may support nest cavities, and should be maintained, especially close to the riverbank. They will use nest boxes successfully and will particularly benefit from this practice where competition with House wrens for a limited number of cavities is strong. Creating buffers where logging is not permitted may ensure that enough trees can mature, thereby providing nest cavities that are lost when snags, trees, and rotten branches fall. Predator control may help in areas with limited habitat and high predator densities.
Survey Methods
While Prothonotary warblers, like most songbirds, sing most actively near sunrise their vibrant coloration and strict requirement for floodplain/swamp forest makes them relatively easy to spot throughout the day while canoeing in habitat. The song is a series of 5 - 12 upslurred "sweet" or "tweet" notes.
References
Survey References
- Elzinga, C.L., D.W. Salzer, and J.W. Willoughby. 1998. Measuring and Monitoring Plant Populations. The Nature Conservancy and Bureau of Land Management, Denver. BLM Technical Reference 1730-1. 477pp.
- Goff, G.F., G.A. Dawson, and J.J. Rochow. 1982. Site examination for Threatened and Endangered plant species. Environmental Management 6(4): 307-316
- Nelson, J.R. 1984. Rare Plant Field Survey Guidelines. In: J.P. Smith and R. York. Inventory of rare and endangered vascular plants of California. 3rd Ed. California Native Plant Society, Berkeley. 174pp.
- Nelson, J.R. 1986. Rare Plant Surveys: Techniques For Impact Assessment. Natural Areas Journal 5(3):18-30.
- Nelson, J.R. 1987. Rare Plant Surveys: Techniques for Impact Assessment. In: Conservation and management of rare and endangered plants. Ed. T.S. Elias. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento. 8pp.
Technical References
- Antonio, T.M. and S. Masi. 2001.The Sunflower Family in the Upper Midwest. A Photographic Guide to the Asteraceae in Illinois, Indianan, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Indiana Academy of Science, Indianapolis. 421pp.
- Deam, C. C. 1940. Flora of Indiana. Department of Conservation, Indianapolis. 1236pp.
- Fisher, T.R. 1988. The Dicotyledoneae of Ohio. Part 3. Asteraceae. Ohio State University Press, Columbus. 280pp.
- Flora of North America Editorial Committee. 2006. Flora of North America, North of Mexico. Volume 21: Magnoliophyta: Asteridae (in part): Asteraceae, part 3. Oxford University Press, New York. 616pp.
- Gleason, H. A., and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. 2nd Ed. The New York Botanical Garden, New York, New York.
- Gray, A. 1950. Gray's Manual of Botany; eighth ed. Van Nostrand Reinghold, New York. 1632pp.
- Holmgren, N.H. 1998. Illustrated Companion to Gleason and Cronquist's Manual. Illustrations of the vascular plants of Northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. New York Botanical Garden, Bronx. 937pp.
- Mohlenbrock, R.H. 1986. Guide to the Vascular Flora of Illinois. Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale. 507pp.
- Swink, F. and G. Wilhelm. 1994. Plants of the Chicago Region, 4th ed. Indiana Academy of Science, Indianapolis. 921pp.
- Voss, E.G. 1996. Michigan Flora. Part III. Dicots (Pyrolaceae-Compositae). Bulletin of the Cranbrook Institute of Science and University of Michigan Herbarium. 622pp.