Like a beacon of golden light in the dim swamplands, the Prothonotary Warbler is always a gift to find.
Through much of the southeastern U.S., the Prothonotary, colloquially known as Swamp Warbler, delights river paddlers and walkers with its bright yellow and loud, high-pitched notes.
All About Birds explains that its song is “likened to someone shouting TWEET TWEET TWEET TWEET.” I have also heard it described as WHAP WHAP WHAP WHAP, each note up-slurred, and the series increasing in volume. Listen here.
And when you see Prothonotary Warblers near water, sometimes, if you’re lucky, you get reflections like this.
Cool facts from All About Birds:
The Prothonotary Warbler got its name from the bright yellow robes worn by papal clerks, known as prothonotaries, in the Roman Catholic church.
Most warblers nest either on the ground, in shrubs, or in trees, but the Prothonotary Warbler and the Lucy's Warbler build their nests in holes in standing dead trees. They may also use nest boxes when available.
Prothonotary Warbler Protonotaria citrea
Tilden Woods, Point Pelee, Leamington, Ontario, Canada
May 11, 2025
That second photo is out of this world!