Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) is in the New World Warblers family (Parulidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 13,857 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.
When to photograph Prothonotary Warbler: observations by month (U.S.)
About Prothonotary Warbler
The prothonotary warbler (Protonotaria citrea) is a small songbird of the New World warbler family. It is the only member of the genus Protonotaria.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Prothonotary Warbler by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 1,652 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Ohio | 1,645 | May | May–May |
| Louisiana | 1,191 | April | Apr–May |
| Virginia | 1,100 | May | Apr–Jun |
| Florida | 895 | April | Apr–May |
| North Carolina | 832 | April | Apr–Jun |
| Maryland | 830 | May | Apr–Jun |
| Tennessee | 737 | May | Apr–Jun |
| South Carolina | 672 | April | Apr–Jun |
| Illinois | 549 | May | Apr–Jun |
| Alabama | 342 | April | Apr–May |
| Mississippi | 304 | April | Apr–Jul |
| Georgia | 263 | April | Apr–Jun |
| Kentucky | 261 | April | Apr–Jun |
| Indiana | 258 | May | Apr–Jun |
| New York | 226 | April | Apr–May |
| Oklahoma | 226 | April | Apr–Jun |
| Missouri | 216 | May | Apr–May |
| New Jersey | 216 | May | Apr–May |
| California | 206 | October | Sep–Nov |
| Arkansas | 195 | April | Apr–May |
| Michigan | 169 | May | May–Jun |
| Wisconsin | 146 | May | May–Jun |
| Pennsylvania | 124 | May | Apr–Jun |
| Minnesota | 123 | May | May–Jul |
| Delaware | 89 | May | Apr–Jul |
| Kansas | 85 | May | Apr–Jun |
| Massachusetts | 60 | May | Apr–May |
| Iowa | 39 | May | May–May |
| Arizona | 36 | October | Aug–Oct |
| New Mexico | 26 | April | Apr–May |
| Colorado | 23 | April | Apr–May |
| District of Columbia | 23 | May | Apr–May |
| Vermont | 18 | May | May–May |
| West Virginia | 14 | May | Apr–May |
| Nebraska | 11 | May | May–May |
| Rhode Island | 11 | May | Apr–Jun |
| Connecticut | 9 | April | Apr–May |
| Oregon | 9 | September | Sep–Sep |
| Maine | 7 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Montana | 6 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Nevada | 6 | September | Sep–Sep |
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 Prothonotary Warbler?
Nationally, May has the most observations, with the main season from April to June.
Where is Prothonotary Warbler most often seen?
The most observations come from Texas, Ohio, Louisiana.