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Setophaga dominica

(Linnaeus, 1766)

Yellow-throated Warbler

G5Secure Found in 7 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
LowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.105611
Element CodeABPBX03130
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAves
OrderPasseriformes
FamilyParulidae
GenusSetophaga
Synonyms
Dendroica dominica(Linnaeus, 1776)
Other Common Names
Chipe Garganta Amarilla (ES) Paruline à gorge jaune (FR) yellow-throated warbler (EN)
Concept Reference
American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in The Auk]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
Taxonomic Comments
Phylogenetic analyses of sequences of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA (Lovette et al. 2010) indicate that all species formerly placed in Dendroica, one species formerly placed in Wilsonia (citrina), and two species formerly placed in Parula (americana and pitiayumi) form a clade with the single species traditionally placed in Setophaga (ruticilla). The generic name Setophaga has priority for this clade (AOU 2011).

May constitute a superspecies with D. graciae, D. adelaidae, and D. pityophila (AOU 1998). Subspecies D. d. flavescens of Bahamas may be deserving of species rank (Dunn and Garrett 1997).
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-01-08
Change Date1996-12-03
Edition Date2025-01-08
Edition AuthorsGundy, R. L. (2025)
Threat ImpactLow
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
This species is widespread in the breeding range and non-breeding range, and the population is increasing.
Range Extent Comments
This species breeds in much of the southern U.S. It breeds from New Jersey west to Iowa, south to southern Texas and central peninsular Florida. The non-breeding range extends along the Southeastern Coastal Plain of the U.S. from South Carolina to Mississippi, from Texas south to southern Panamá, as well as the Bahamas and the Greater Antilles (McKay and Hall 2020).
Occurrences Comments
There are many occurrences throughout the range (McKay and Hall 2020).
Threat Impact Comments
Cutting of floodplain forest has led to declines (Evers 1992). Collisions with buildings could be a significant source of mortality during migration (Loss et al. 2014, Kornreich et al. 2024).
Ecology & Habitat

Description

A warbler with a yellow throat and upper breast, white or pale yellow belly with black streaks on the sides, plain gray back, two white wing bars, a large white patch on each side of the neck (behind the mostly black face), a white eyebrow line, white or yellow supraloral area, black/gray crown (more black in male), and a dark tail (NGS 1983).

Diagnostic Characteristics

The yellow throat, white eyebrow stripe, and white neck patch are diagnostic in all plumages (Raffaele 1983).

Habitat

Pine forest, sycamore-bald cypress swamp, riparian woodland, floodplain forest, live oak woodland. In migration and winter in various woodland, scrub, brush, and thicket situations, but most often in pine woodland if available (AOU 1983). NON-BREEDING: either in inland pines or coastal palms; often in areas of human habitation; prefers semi-open, old second growth, thinned woodland (Stiles and Skutch 1989). BREEDING: Nests in tree canopy, in clumps of Spanish moss if available, otherwise on horizontal branch, 3-36 m above ground.

Reproduction

Clutch size 4-5 (usually 4). Two broods per year are likely in the south. Incubation probably 12-13 days, by female.
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - ConiferWoodland - HardwoodWoodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedShrubland/chaparral
Palustrine Habitats
FORESTED WETLANDRiparian
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN1M
ProvinceRankNative
OntarioS1MYes
United StatesN5B
ProvinceRankNative
WisconsinS1BYes
OhioS5Yes
PennsylvaniaS4BYes
ArkansasS4B,S4NYes
IndianaS4BYes
LouisianaS4BYes
GeorgiaS5Yes
ColoradoSNAYes
North CarolinaS5BYes
South CarolinaS4Yes
MassachusettsS1NYes
VirginiaS4Yes
IowaS3B,S3NYes
IllinoisS5Yes
DelawareS2BYes
KansasS1BYes
TexasS4BYes
MichiganS3Yes
MississippiS5BYes
New JerseyS4B,S4NYes
KentuckyS4BYes
MarylandS4BYes
New YorkSNAYes
New MexicoS4NYes
West VirginiaS5BYes
AlabamaS5B,S3NYes
TennesseeS4Yes
OklahomaS2BYes
FloridaSNRB,SNRNYes
NebraskaS1BYes
MissouriSNRBYes
District of ColumbiaS1NYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial developmentLarge - restrictedUnknownHigh (continuing)
1.2 - Commercial & industrial areasLarge - restrictedUnknownHigh (continuing)
5 - Biological resource useSmall (1-10%)Serious - moderateHigh (continuing)
5.3 - Logging & wood harvestingSmall (1-10%)Serious - moderateHigh (continuing)
5.3.4 - Unintentional effects: large scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest]Small (1-10%)Serious - moderateHigh (continuing)

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Roadless Areas (7)
Arkansas (1)
AreaForestAcres
Gee CreekOzark-St. Francis National Forest7,957
Georgia (2)
AreaForestAcres
Kelly RidgeChattahoochee National Forest8,325
Pink KnobChattahoochee National Forest12,127
Kentucky (1)
AreaForestAcres
WolfpenDaniel Boone National Forest2,835
North Carolina (1)
AreaForestAcres
Overflow CreekNantahala National Forest3,379
Pennsylvania (1)
AreaForestAcres
Allegheny FrontAllegheny National Forest7,430
Virginia (1)
AreaForestAcres
Raccoon BranchJefferson National Forest4,388
References (37)
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  3. American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). Chesser, R.T., R.C. Banks, F.K. Barker, C. Cicero, J.L. Dunn, A.W. Kratter, I.J. Lovette, P.C. Rasmussen, J.V. Remsen, Jr., J.D. Rising, D.F. Stotz, and K. Winker. 2011. Fifty-second supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union Check-list of North American Birds. The Auk 128(3):600-613.
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