Roadless Areas
Home/Species/ Bay-breasted Warbler

Setophaga castanea

(Wilson, 1810)

Bay-breasted Warbler

G5Secure Found in 55 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Bay-breasted Warbler (Setophaga castanea). Photo by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Public Domain (U.S. Government Work), via ECOS.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, https://www.usa.gov/government-works
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.105277
Element CodeABPBX03220
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 castanea(Wilson, 1810)
Other Common Names
bay-breasted warbler (EN) Chipe Castaño (ES) Paruline à poitrine baie (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
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 Date2014-11-18
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
Still quite common
Range Extent Comments
BREEDING: extreme southeastern Yukon and and west-central and southern Mackenzie (Northwest Territtories) east through central Quebec and southern Labrador, south to northeastern British Columbia, central Alberta and Saskatchewan, southern Manitoba, north-central and northeastern Minnesota, northern Michigan, southern Ontario, southern Quebec, northern New York, northern Vermont (rare), northern New Hampshire, and southern Maine; recorded in summer in northern Wisconsin, bred once in Colorado (AOU 1998). NON-BREEDING: Winters in Panama and Colombia, north to Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica and east to northwestern Venezuela; a common transient through eastern U. S., southeastern Mexico, and central America (AOU 1998). Birdlife International estimates a distribution size of 825,000 square kilometers (2014).
Occurrences Comments
Species range is extremely large with an estimated global pouplation size of nine million individuals, suggesting at least 81 EOs (Partners in Flight, 2013; Birdlife International, 2014).
Threat Impact Comments
Large-scale clearcutting of Canadian boreal forests are causing a decrease in available habitat, as well as use of pesticides to control spruce budworm inestations (National Audubon Society, 2014),
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Boreal coniferous forest, occasionally adjoining second growth or deciduous scrub. In migration and winter in various forest, woodland, scrub, and thicket habitats. (AOU 1983). Almost anywhere in fall migration (Stiles and Skutch 1989). NON-BREEDING: forest edge, second growth, and lighter woodlands (Pashley 1989, Stiles and Skutch 1989). BREEDING: Nests usually on horizontal branch of tree, generally 1.5-6 m above ground; sometimes nests in shrub or to 15 m in tree.

Ecology

In nonbreeding range, often in small groups, rarely territorial, associated with rich food sources.

Reproduction

Eggs laid mostly in June. Clutch size 3-7 (usually 4-5). Incubation 12-13 days, by female. Young first fly at 11-12 days. (Terres 1980, Harrison 1978). Reproductive output increases when spruce budworm is abundant.
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - HardwoodForest - ConiferForest - MixedWoodland - HardwoodWoodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedShrubland/chaparralOld field
Palustrine Habitats
Riparian
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5B
ProvinceRankNative
West VirginiaSNAYes
South CarolinaS3MYes
New HampshireS4BYes
WisconsinSNAYes
TennesseeS4NYes
MaineS5BYes
AlabamaSNRMYes
MinnesotaSNRBYes
DelawareSNAYes
South DakotaSNAYes
IllinoisSNAYes
OklahomaS2NYes
New JerseyS4NYes
North DakotaSNAYes
IowaS2NYes
District of ColumbiaS3NYes
TexasS4Yes
VirginiaSNAYes
FloridaSNAYes
North CarolinaSNAYes
KansasSNAYes
NebraskaSNRNYes
Rhode IslandSNAYes
MississippiSNAYes
MichiganS2Yes
OhioSNAYes
ArkansasSNAYes
IndianaSNAYes
ConnecticutSNAYes
LouisianaSNAYes
MarylandSNAYes
KentuckySNAYes
New YorkS2BYes
VermontS2BYes
PennsylvaniaS4MYes
GeorgiaSNRNYes
MassachusettsS5NYes
MissouriSNAYes
CanadaN5B
ProvinceRankNative
SaskatchewanS5BYes
Island of NewfoundlandS2B,SUMYes
Prince Edward IslandS1B,SUMYes
QuebecS5BYes
Yukon TerritoryS2BYes
LabradorS2B,SUMYes
British ColumbiaS2BYes
Nova ScotiaS3B,S4MYes
New BrunswickS4B,S4MYes
AlbertaS4BYes
OntarioS5BYes
ManitobaS4BYes
Northwest TerritoriesS4Yes
Roadless Areas (55)
Maine (2)
AreaForestAcres
Caribou - Speckled ExtWhite Mountain National Forest5,988
Caribou - Speckled ExtWhite Mountain National Forest5,988
New Hampshire (29)
AreaForestAcres
Carr MountainWhite Mountain National Forest17,110
Carr MountainWhite Mountain National Forest17,110
Cherry MountainWhite Mountain National Forest8,766
Cherry MountainWhite Mountain National Forest8,766
Dartmouth RangeWhite Mountain National Forest9,233
Dartmouth RangeWhite Mountain National Forest9,233
Great Gulf Ext.White Mountain National Forest15,110
Great Gulf Ext.White Mountain National Forest15,110
KearsargeWhite Mountain National Forest4,554
KearsargeWhite Mountain National Forest4,554
KilkennyWhite Mountain National Forest28,766
KilkennyWhite Mountain National Forest28,766
Kinsman MountainWhite Mountain National Forest8,999
Kinsman MountainWhite Mountain National Forest8,999
Mt. Wolf - Gordon PondWhite Mountain National Forest11,846
Mt. Wolf - Gordon PondWhite Mountain National Forest11,846
PemigewassetWhite Mountain National Forest32,255
PemigewassetWhite Mountain National Forest32,255
Pemigewasset ExtWhite Mountain National Forest15,840
Pemigewasset ExtWhite Mountain National Forest15,840
Pemigewasset ExtWhite Mountain National Forest15,840
Presidential - Dry River ExtWhite Mountain National Forest10,555
Presidential - Dry River ExtWhite Mountain National Forest10,555
Sandwich RangeWhite Mountain National Forest16,797
Sandwich RangeWhite Mountain National Forest16,797
WatervilleWhite Mountain National Forest4,312
WatervilleWhite Mountain National Forest4,312
Wild RiverWhite Mountain National Forest46,878
Wild RiverWhite Mountain National Forest46,878
North Carolina (5)
AreaForestAcres
BearwallowPisgah National Forest4,113
Jarrett CreekPisgah National Forest7,485
Laurel MountainPisgah National Forest5,683
Overflow CreekNantahala National Forest3,379
SnowbirdNantahala National Forest8,489
Tennessee (1)
AreaForestAcres
Sycamore CreekCherokee National Forest6,984
Vermont (13)
AreaForestAcres
Bread LoafGreen Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,768
Bread LoafGreen Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,768
Devil's Den 09083Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests9,169
Devil's Den 09083Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests9,169
Griffith Lake 09084Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,833
Griffith Lake 09084Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,833
Lye Brook Addition 09085Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,111
Lye Brook Addition 09085Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,111
Lye Brook Addition 09085Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,111
Wilder Mountain 09082Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests8,759
Wilder Mountain 09082Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests8,759
Woodford 09086Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests2,456
Woodford 09086Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests2,456
Virginia (5)
AreaForestAcres
Bear CreekJefferson National Forest18,274
Peters Mountain Addition BJefferson National Forest2,909
Ramseys Draft AdditionGeorge Washington National Forest12,781
Shawvers Run AdditionJefferson National Forest1,927
The PriestGeorge Washington National Forest5,737
References (41)
  1. American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1983. Check-list of North American Birds, 6th edition. Allen Press, Inc., Lawrence, Kansas. 877 pp.
  2. 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 <i>The Auk</i>]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
  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.
  4. Balda, R. P., and G. C. Bateman. 1971. Flocking and annual cycle of the piñon jay, <i>Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus</i>. Condor 73:287-302.
  5. Bent, A. C. 1953. Life histories of North American wood warblers. U.S. Natl. Mus. Bull. 203. Washington, D.C.
  6. BirdLife International. 2004b. Threatened birds of the world 2004. CD ROM. BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK.
  7. BirdLife International. (2013-2014). IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on various dates in 2013 and 2014. http://www.birdlife.org/
  8. Braun, M. J., D. W. Finch, M. B. Robbins, and B. K. Schmidt. 2000. A field checklist of the birds of Guyana. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
  9. Ellison, K., P. W. Sykes, Jr., and C. I. Bocetti. 2002. Re-evaluating the Bay-breasted Warbler breeding range: nine years of presence in lower Michigan. Wilson Bulletin 114:415-416.
  10. Greenberg, R. 1981. Frugivory in some migrant tropical forest wood warblers. Biotropica 13: 215-223.
  11. Greenberg, R. 1984. The winter exploitation systems of bay-breasted and chestnut-sided warblers in Panama. Univ. California Pub. Zool. 116:x + 107 pp.
  12. Griscom, L., and A. Sprunt, Jr. 1979. The warblers of America. Doubleday and Co., Garden City, New York. 302 pp.
  13. Hagan, J. M., III, and D. W. Johnston, editors. 1992. Ecology and conservation of neotropical migrant landbirds. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C. xiii + 609 pp.
  14. Harrison, C. 1978. A Field Guide to the Nests, Eggs and Nestlings of North American Birds. Collins, Cleveland, Ohio.
  15. Harrison, H.H. 1984. Wood warblers' world. Simon and Schuster, New York. 335 pp.
  16. Hilty, S. 1999. Three new bird species new to Venezuela and notes on the behaviour and distribution of other poorly known species. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 119:220-235
  17. Horn, H. S. 1968. The adaptive significance of colonial nesting in the Brewer's Blackbird. Ecology 49:682-694.
  18. Howell, S. N. G., and S. Webb. 1995. A guide to the birds of Mexico and northern Central America. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.
  19. Ligon, J. D. 1971. Late summer-autumnal breeding of the piñon jay in New Mexico. Condor 73:147-153.
  20. Moore, W. S., and R. A. Dolbeer. 1989. The use of banding recovery data to estimate dispersal rates and gene flow in avian species: case studies in the Red-winged Blackbird and Common Grackle. Condor 91:242-253.
  21. National Audubon Society. 2014. View all Species. Website accessible at http://birds.audubon.org/species. Accessed on various dates in 2014.
  22. Parker III, T. A., D. F. Stotz, and J. W. Fitzpatrick. 1996. Ecological and distributional databases for neotropical birds. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
  23. Partners in Flight Science Committee. 2013. Population Estimates Database, version 2013. Available at http://rmbo.org/pifpopestimates. Accessed in 2014 and 2018.
  24. Pashley, D. N. 1989. Personal communication.
  25. Poole, A. F. and F. B. Gill. 1992. The birds of North America. The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. and The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA.
  26. Raffaele, H. A. 1983a. A guide to the birds of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Fondo Educativo Interamericano, San Juan, Puerto Rico. 255 pp.
  27. Raffaele, H., J. Wiley, O. Garrido, A. Keith, and J. Raffaele. 1998. A guide to the birds of the West Indies. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ. 511 pp.
  28. Ridgely, R. S. 2002. Distribution maps of South American birds. Unpublished.
  29. Ridgely, R. S. and G. Tudor. 1989. The birds of South America. Volume 1. University of Texas Press, Austin, USA. 516 pp.
  30. Ridgely, R. S. and J. A. Gwynne, Jr. 1989. A Guide to the Birds of Panama. 2nd edition. Princeton University Press, Princeton, USA.
  31. Sauer, J. R., J. E. Hines, and J. Fallon. 2001. The North American Breeding Bird Survey, Results and Analysis 1966 - 2000. Version 2001.2, USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD.
  32. Sauer, J. R., J. E. Hines, J. E. Fallon, K. L. Pardieck, D. J. Ziolkowski, Jr., and W. A. Link. 2014. The North American Breeding Bird Survey, Results and Analysis 1966 - 2012. Version 02.19.2014. USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD. http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/.
  33. Sibley, D. A. 2000a. The Sibley guide to birds. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
  34. Stiles, F. G. and A. F. Skutch. 1989. A guide to the birds of Costa Rica. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, New York, USA. 511 pp.
  35. Tarvin, K. A., and G. E. Woolfenden. 1999. Blue Jay (<i>Cyanocitta cristata</i>). No. 469 IN A. Poole and F. Gill, editors. The birds of North America. The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA. 32pp.
  36. Terres, J. K. 1980. The Audubon Society encyclopedia of North American birds. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
  37. Thompson, F. R., III. 1994. Temporal and spatial patterns of breeding brown-headed cowbirds in the midwestern United States. Auk 111:979-990.
  38. Venier, L., S. Holmes and J. Mci. Williams. 2011. Bay-breasted Warbler (<i>Setophagacastanea</i>). The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, ed.). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca. Retrieved from the Birds of North America Online: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu.bnaproxy.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/206
  39. Williams, L. 1952b. Breeding behavior of the Brewer blackbird. Condor 54:3-47.
  40. Willson, M. F. 1966. Breeding ecology of the Yellow-headed Blackbird. Ecological Monographs 36:51-77.
  41. Zook, J. L. 2002. Distribution maps of the birds of Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. Unpublished.