Townsend's Warbler (Setophaga townsendi) is in the New World Warblers family (Parulidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 18,711 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in October.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: winter visitor. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Townsend's Warbler: observations by month (U.S.)
About Townsend's Warbler
Townsend's warbler (Setophaga townsendi) is a small songbird of the New World warbler family.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Townsend's Warbler by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 13,940 | October | Sep–Apr |
| Oregon | 1,160 | January | Oct–May |
| Arizona | 932 | May | Apr–May |
| Washington | 862 | January | Dec–Mar |
| Texas | 437 | April | Apr–May |
| Alaska | 317 | June | May–Aug |
| New Mexico | 258 | September | Sep–Sep |
| Colorado | 191 | September | Aug–Sep |
| Nevada | 103 | September | Aug–Oct |
| Utah | 100 | September | Aug–Sep |
| Idaho | 76 | September | Aug–Sep |
| Massachusetts | 59 | January | Nov–Feb |
| Montana | 57 | June | May–Jun |
| New York | 36 | December | Nov–Dec |
| Wyoming | 32 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Florida | 25 | September | Sep–Sep |
| New Jersey | 19 | January | Dec–Feb |
| Nebraska | 18 | September | Aug–Sep |
| North Carolina | 15 | March | Mar–Mar |
| Illinois | 13 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Connecticut | 8 | December | Dec–Dec |
| Ohio | 7 | May | Apr–May |
| Georgia | 5 | April | Apr–Apr |
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 Townsend's Warbler?
Nationally, October has the most observations, with the main season from September to May.
Where is Townsend's Warbler most often seen?
The most observations come from California, Oregon, Arizona.