Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla) is in the New World Warblers family (Parulidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 7,720 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.
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.
When to photograph Louisiana Waterthrush: observations by month (U.S.)
About Louisiana Waterthrush
The Louisiana waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla) is a New World warbler, that breeds in eastern North America and winters in the West Indies and Central America. Plain brown above, it is white below, with black streaks and with buff flanks and undertail, distinguishing it from the closely related northern waterthrush. The habitats it prefers are streams and their surroundings, and other wet areas.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Louisiana Waterthrush by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 741 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Maryland | 660 | April | Apr–May |
| Virginia | 648 | April | Apr–May |
| New York | 584 | April | Apr–May |
| Tennessee | 456 | April | Mar–Jul |
| Pennsylvania | 442 | April | Apr–Jun |
| Florida | 382 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Ohio | 375 | April | Apr–May |
| North Carolina | 358 | April | Mar–May |
| Georgia | 262 | April | Mar–Jul |
| Arkansas | 233 | April | Mar–Jul |
| Illinois | 226 | April | Apr–May |
| Missouri | 222 | April | Mar–Jun |
| South Carolina | 203 | April | Mar–May |
| Kentucky | 173 | April | Apr–Jun |
| Vermont | 173 | May | Apr–Jun |
| West Virginia | 172 | April | Apr–Jul |
| Alabama | 165 | April | Mar–May |
| Massachusetts | 148 | April | Apr–May |
| New Jersey | 144 | April | Apr–May |
| Connecticut | 118 | April | Apr–Jun |
| Indiana | 104 | April | Apr–Jun |
| Oklahoma | 83 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Louisiana | 76 | March | Mar–Apr |
| New Hampshire | 70 | April | Apr–May |
| Michigan | 63 | April | Apr–May |
| Kansas | 61 | April | Apr–May |
| Arizona | 59 | January | Dec–Mar |
| California | 52 | September | Sep–Sep |
| Wisconsin | 49 | May | Apr–May |
| Mississippi | 48 | March | Mar–May |
| Minnesota | 25 | May | Apr–Jul |
| District of Columbia | 24 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Nebraska | 24 | April | Apr–May |
| Delaware | 21 | April | Apr–Jul |
| Maine | 17 | April | Apr–May |
| New Mexico | 17 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Iowa | 14 | May | Apr–Jul |
| Colorado | 13 | April | Apr–May |
| Rhode Island | 13 | April | Apr–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 Louisiana Waterthrush?
Nationally, April has the most observations, with the main season from March to May.
Where is Louisiana Waterthrush most often seen?
The most observations come from Texas, Maryland, Virginia.