
Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulea) is in the New World Warblers family (Parulidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 2,445 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in May.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: seasonal. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
Conservation status (iNaturalist): NT.
When to photograph Cerulean Warbler: observations by month (U.S.)
About Cerulean Warbler
The cerulean warbler (Setophaga cerulea) is a small songbird of the New World warbler family. Adult males have pale cerulean blue and white upperparts with a black necklace across the breast and black streaks on the back and flanks. Females and immature birds have greyer or greenish upperparts, a pale stripe over the eye, and no streaking on the back and no neck. All of these birds have wing bars and a thin pointed bill. They...From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Cerulean Warbler by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 328 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Ohio | 250 | May | May–May |
| New York | 187 | May | May–May |
| Virginia | 187 | May | May–May |
| Pennsylvania | 186 | May | May–May |
| Maryland | 135 | May | May–Jun |
| Illinois | 121 | May | Apr–May |
| Michigan | 116 | May | May–Jun |
| Wisconsin | 95 | May | May–May |
| Tennessee | 85 | April | Apr–Jun |
| Kentucky | 80 | May | Apr–May |
| Florida | 77 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Massachusetts | 60 | May | May–Jun |
| Indiana | 58 | May | May–May |
| Missouri | 57 | May | May–Jun |
| West Virginia | 54 | May | May–Jun |
| Alabama | 50 | August | Aug–Sep |
| New Jersey | 45 | May | May–Jun |
| Vermont | 41 | May | May–May |
| Louisiana | 38 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Minnesota | 37 | May | May–Jun |
| North Carolina | 30 | May | Apr–Jun |
| Georgia | 28 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Connecticut | 27 | May | May–May |
| Arkansas | 16 | May | May–Jul |
| Iowa | 12 | May | May–May |
| Mississippi | 12 | April | Apr–Apr |
| District of Columbia | 8 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Rhode Island | 6 | May | May–May |
| Delaware | 5 | August | Aug–Aug |
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 Cerulean Warbler?
Nationally, May has the most observations, with the main season from April to May.
Where is Cerulean Warbler most often seen?
The most observations come from Texas, Ohio, New York.