Bay-breasted Warbler (Setophaga castanea) is in the New World Warblers family (Parulidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 10,650 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in May.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: spring and fall migrant. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Bay-breasted Warbler: observations by month (U.S.)
About Bay-breasted Warbler
The bay-breasted warbler (Setophaga castanea) is a New World warbler. It breeds in northern North America, specifically in Canada, into the Great Lakes region, and into northern New England.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Bay-breasted Warbler by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio | 1,752 | May | May–May |
| Texas | 1,323 | May | Apr–May |
| Illinois | 1,242 | September | Sep–Sep |
| New York | 601 | May | May–May |
| Michigan | 552 | September | Aug–Sep |
| Tennessee | 466 | October | Sep–Oct |
| Indiana | 441 | September | Sep–Sep |
| Pennsylvania | 427 | May | May–May |
| Florida | 388 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Wisconsin | 308 | September | Aug–Sep |
| Massachusetts | 295 | May | May–May |
| Virginia | 279 | September | Sep–Oct |
| Maryland | 241 | September | Sep–Sep |
| Kentucky | 234 | September | Sep–Oct |
| Minnesota | 223 | May | May–May |
| North Carolina | 222 | October | Sep–Oct |
| California | 198 | September | Sep–Jan |
| Missouri | 186 | September | Sep–Oct |
| Louisiana | 175 | May | Apr–May |
| Vermont | 173 | September | Aug–Sep |
| Maine | 150 | May | May–Jun |
| Georgia | 134 | October | Oct–Oct |
| New Jersey | 100 | May | May–May |
| Alabama | 84 | October | Sep–Oct |
| South Carolina | 60 | October | Oct–Oct |
| West Virginia | 59 | September | Sep–Oct |
| Iowa | 40 | September | Aug–Sep |
| Nebraska | 38 | September | Sep–Sep |
| New Hampshire | 37 | September | Aug–Sep |
| Mississippi | 36 | April | Apr–May |
| Connecticut | 26 | May | May–May |
| Colorado | 24 | May | May–May |
| District of Columbia | 23 | May | May–May |
| South Dakota | 17 | May | May–May |
| Arizona | 15 | February | Feb–Feb |
| New Mexico | 15 | December | Dec–Dec |
| Arkansas | 13 | May | May–May |
| Delaware | 13 | May | May–May |
| Oklahoma | 10 | May | May–Jun |
| North Dakota | 9 | May | May–May |
| Rhode Island | 9 | May | May–May |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related birds (New World Warblers)
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Northern Yellow Warbler
Palm Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Pine Warbler
Photography tips
- Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
- Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
- Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
- Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Bay-breasted Warbler?
Nationally, May has the most observations, with the main season from May to May.
Where is Bay-breasted Warbler most often seen?
The most observations come from Ohio, Texas, Illinois.