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Home/Species/ Black-throated Green Warbler

Setophaga virens

(Gmelin, 1789)

Black-throated Green Warbler

G5Secure Found in 85 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.100065
Element CodeABPBX03100
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 virens(Gmelin, 1789)
Other Common Names
black-throated green warbler (EN) Chipe Dorso Verde (ES) Paruline à gorge noire (FR)
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
Setophaga townsendi, S. occidentalis, S. virens, and S. chrysoparia constitute a superspecies (Mengel 1964). Setophaga townsendi and S. occidentalis hybridize extensively in Washington, where S. townsendi appears to be expanding its range at the expense of S. occidentalis (Rohwer et al. 2001, Krosby and Rohwer 2009) (AOU 2011).

Formerly in the genus Dendroica. 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).
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-04-09
Change Date1996-12-03
Edition Date2014-11-17
Edition AuthorsJue, Dean K.
Range Extent200,000 to >2,500,000 square km (about 80,000 to >1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 to >300
Rank Reasons
One of the more secure warbler species at this point in time.
Range Extent Comments
BREEDING: northern Alberta and probably east-central British Columbia east across Canada to southern Labrador, south to central Alberta, Great Lakes region, southern Appalachians, and Maryland; also Coastal Plain from southeastern Virginia to South Carolina; recently found breeding in the Ozark region of northwestern Arkansas (P. Rodewald). NON-BREEDING: north to southern Texas, Florida; in Mexico primarily along Atlantic coast from Tamaulipas south, extending onto Yucatan peninsula, into Oaxaca, and less commonly farther north on the Pacific coast. Common throughout Central America, particularly in highland regions. Occasionally found in northern Colombia and northern Venezuela; regular but not common throughout West Indies. Birdlife International (2014) estimates just under 1.5 million square kilometers.
Occurrences Comments
This species has undergone a small or statistically insignificant decrease over the last 40 years (Birdlife International, 2014) and its population number is estimated at ten million (Partners in Flight, 2013), which would suggest a high number of EOs.
Threat Impact Comments
Good numbers still. This species is less vulnerable to tropical deforestation than most neotropical migrants but major declines can still follow gross habitat changes (Morse and Poole, 2005).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Breeds in coniferous, mixed coniferous-deciduous, and entirely deciduous forests (Parrish 1995, Condor 97:935-943), including forest edge, second growth, hemlock forest, cedar-grown pastures, larch bogs, and swamps. In migration and winter, occurs in various open forest, woodland, scrub, second growth, and thicket habitats (AOU 1983); prefers forest canopy and edges, pasture trees, and semi-open, sometimes in low scrubby second growth (Stiles and Skutch 1989).

Nests often in conifers but also in hardwoods, shrubs, and vine tangles, from almost ground level to about 25 m up (usually low) (Harrison 1978).

Ecology

Winter: alone or in groups of up to 15, or in mixed flocks (Stiles and Skutch 1989, Rappole and Warner 1980).

Reproduction

Clutch size is 4-5 (usually 4). Incubation lasts about 12 days, mostly by female. Young are tended by both parents, leave nest at 8-10 days.
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - HardwoodForest - ConiferForest - MixedWoodland - HardwoodWoodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedShrubland/chaparralOld field
Palustrine Habitats
FORESTED WETLANDBog/fenRiparian
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN5B
ProvinceRankNative
Island of NewfoundlandS5BYes
LabradorS5BYes
AlbertaS3BYes
Nova ScotiaS5BYes
SaskatchewanS4BYes
New BrunswickS5BYes
British ColumbiaS3BYes
Prince Edward IslandS5BYes
QuebecS5BYes
OntarioS5BYes
ManitobaS4BYes
United StatesN5B
ProvinceRankNative
Rhode IslandS4BYes
New MexicoS4NYes
NebraskaSNRNYes
MaineS5BYes
New HampshireS5BYes
ArkansasS2B,S5NYes
ConnecticutS5BYes
TennesseeS5Yes
WisconsinS4BYes
OklahomaS3NYes
AlabamaS3BYes
MarylandS4BYes
DelawareSNAYes
TexasS4Yes
IowaS4NYes
West VirginiaS4BYes
FloridaSNAYes
MichiganS5Yes
IllinoisSNAYes
VermontS5BYes
KansasSNAYes
MinnesotaSNRBYes
KentuckyS4BYes
PennsylvaniaS3B,S4MYes
New JerseyS3B,S4NYes
OhioS3Yes
MassachusettsS5BYes
ColoradoSNAYes
New YorkS5BYes
MissouriSUYes
MississippiSNAYes
North CarolinaS4BYes
IndianaS2BYes
South DakotaSNAYes
VirginiaS4Yes
North DakotaSNAYes
LouisianaSNAYes
District of ColumbiaS4NYes
South CarolinaS4Yes
GeorgiaS5Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
11 - Climate change & severe weatherUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)

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Roadless Areas (85)
Alabama (2)
AreaForestAcres
Blue MountainTalladega National Forest4,986
Reed BrakeTalladega National Forest621
Arkansas (1)
AreaForestAcres
Gee CreekOzark-St. Francis National Forest7,957
Georgia (1)
AreaForestAcres
Pink KnobChattahoochee National Forest12,127
Kentucky (1)
AreaForestAcres
WolfpenDaniel Boone National Forest2,835
Minnesota (2)
AreaForestAcres
Baker - Homer - Brule LakesSuperior National Forest6,712
Brule Lake - Eagle MountainSuperior National Forest12,380
New Hampshire (15)
AreaForestAcres
Carr MountainWhite Mountain National Forest17,110
Cherry MountainWhite Mountain National Forest8,766
Dartmouth RangeWhite Mountain National Forest9,233
Great Gulf Ext.White Mountain National Forest15,110
JobildunkWhite Mountain National Forest3,660
KearsargeWhite Mountain National Forest4,554
KilkennyWhite Mountain National Forest28,766
Kinsman MountainWhite Mountain National Forest8,999
Mt. Wolf - Gordon PondWhite Mountain National Forest11,846
PemigewassetWhite Mountain National Forest32,255
Pemigewasset ExtWhite Mountain National Forest15,840
Presidential - Dry River ExtWhite Mountain National Forest10,555
Sandwich RangeWhite Mountain National Forest16,797
WatervilleWhite Mountain National Forest4,312
Wild RiverWhite Mountain National Forest46,878
North Carolina (21)
AreaForestAcres
Balsam ConePisgah National Forest10,591
BearwallowPisgah National Forest4,113
Catfish Lake NorthCroatan National Forest11,299
Catfish Lake South - ACroatan National Forest217
Catfish Lake South - BCroatan National Forest172
Cheoah BaldNantahala National Forest7,795
Dobson KnobPisgah National Forest6,111
Graveyard Ridge (addition)Pisgah National Forest1,958
Harper CreekPisgah National Forest7,325
Jarrett CreekPisgah National Forest7,485
Laurel MountainPisgah National Forest5,683
Linville Gorge AdditionPisgah National Forest2,809
Lost CovePisgah National Forest5,944
Mackey MountainPisgah National Forest5,934
Overflow CreekNantahala National Forest3,379
Pocosin AdditionCroatan National Forest286
Pond Pine BCroatan National Forest2,961
Sam Knob (addition)Pisgah National Forest2,576
Sheep Ridge AdditionCroatan National Forest5,808
South Mills RiverPisgah National Forest8,588
Tusquitee BaldNantahala National Forest13,670
Oklahoma (1)
AreaForestAcres
Beech CreekOuachita National Forest8,303
Pennsylvania (1)
AreaForestAcres
Minister ValleyAllegheny National Forest1,417
Tennessee (6)
AreaForestAcres
Bald River Gorge AdditionCherokee National Forest1,728
Big Laurel Branch AdditionCherokee National Forest5,577
Flint Mill GapCherokee National Forest9,494
Sampson Mountain AdditionCherokee National Forest3,064
Sycamore CreekCherokee National Forest6,984
Upper Bald RiverCherokee National Forest9,202
Texas (1)
AreaForestAcres
Little Lake CreekNational Forests in Texas596
Vermont (4)
AreaForestAcres
Bread LoafGreen Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,768
Griffith Lake 09084Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,833
Wilder Mountain 09082Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests8,759
Woodford 09086Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests2,456
Virginia (16)
AreaForestAcres
Bear CreekJefferson National Forest18,274
Brush MountainJefferson National Forest6,002
Crawford MountainGeorge Washington National Forest9,892
Garden MountainJefferson National Forest3,960
Gum RunGeorge Washington National Forest12,620
JerkemtightGeorge Washington National Forest16,687
Laurel ForkGeorge Washington National Forest9,967
Little RiverGeorge Washington National Forest27,292
Mt. PleasantGeorge Washington National Forest8,933
Oak KnobGeorge Washington National Forest10,882
Peters Mountain Addition BJefferson National Forest2,909
Raccoon BranchJefferson National Forest4,388
Ramseys Draft AdditionGeorge Washington National Forest12,781
Seng MountainJefferson National Forest6,428
Shawvers Run AdditionJefferson National Forest1,927
SkidmoreGeorge Washington National Forest5,641
West Virginia (13)
AreaForestAcres
Canaan LoopMonongahela National Forest7,867
Cranberry AdditionMonongahela National Forest11,123
Cranberry Glades Botanical AreaMonongahela National Forest785
Dolly Sods Roaring PlainMonongahela National Forest13,392
Dry River (WV)George Washington National Forest7,331
Falls Of Hills CreekMonongahela National Forest6,925
Glady ForkMonongahela National Forest3,239
Laurel ForkMonongahela National Forest1,172
Little MountainMonongahela National Forest8,172
Mcgowan MountainMonongahela National Forest10,504
Middle MountainMonongahela National Forest19,020
Seneca CreekMonongahela National Forest22,287
Tea Creek MountainMonongahela National Forest8,295
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