Setophaga striata
Status: Fairly common regular spring migrant east and central, uncommon west. Rare casual fall migrant statewide.
Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM6873, 15 May 1901 Beatrice, Gage Co.
Taxonomy: No subspecies are recognized (Gill et al 2022).
Spring: 30 Apr, May 1, 2 <<<>>> May 30, 30, 31
Earlier dates are 20 Apr 2018 Cass Co, 22-23 Apr 2016 Douglas Co, and 27 Apr 2020 Harlan Co.
Later dates are 7 Jun 2014 Sioux Co, 8 Jun 2003 Madison Co, and 10 Jun 1998 Kingsley Dam, Keith Co.
Migrants occur from late Apr through early Jun. Some earlier undocumented dates may have resulted from confusion with Black-and-white Warbler, normally a much earlier migrant than Blackpoll Warbler.
In contrast to Bay-breasted Warbler, which is rare in spring but uncommon in fall, Blackpoll Warbler is fairly common in spring and only casual in fall. Identification of fall Blackpoll Warblers should be made very carefully, as most migrate eastward to the Atlantic coast and then as much as 3000 km across water to the Caribbean and South America (DeLuca et al 2020). Indeed, banding data from Iowa (Dinsmore et al 1984) showed that 84% of banded Blackpoll Warblers occurred in spring, which is remarkably similar to Nebraska sight reports, where 88% of the reports are for spring.
- High counts: 95 at Wilderness Park, Lancaster Co 11 May 2018, 37 in the Panhandle 15-16 May 2006, 31 at Geneva, Fillmore Co 17 May 1999, and 28 in Sarpy Co 13 May 1995.
A total of about 450 were reported in 2018 and 601 in 2023, the latter aided by Birding Bowl activities.
Fall: Although there are about 73 fall reports, many, if not most, are probably misidentifications; this species is rare in fall, with only 23 documented reports, remarkably, seven of these in 2020 and five in 2021. Of the 23 reports, six are from the Panhandle. Prior to 2020 the nine documented reports were 2 Sep 2019 Schramm Park SRA, Sarpy Co, 11 Sep 2013 Omaha, Douglas Co, 14 Sep 2016 Wilderness Park, Lancaster Co, 18 Sep 2018 banded and photographed Chadron SP, Dawes Co, 19 Sep 2016 Lake Ogallala, Keith Co, 20 Sep 2012 Wilderness Park, Lancaster Co, 25 Sep 1993 Lincoln, Lancaster Co, and 13 Oct 1979 Garden Co (Williams 1980).
In fall 2020 there were a remarkable seven reports, all but one photographed and the other well-described. One was westerly at Gotte Park, Kimball Co 6 Sep. Elsewhere, one was at Mercer Woods, Douglas Co 9-10 Sep and possibly the same bird there 12 Sep, singles were at Holmes Lake, Lancaster Co 11 Sep and at Wilderness Park, Lancaster Co the same day, in Saunders Co 12 Sep, and in Sarpy Co 19 Sep.
In fall 2021 the five records were of singles at Rock Creek SRA, Dundy Co 29 Aug, Oliver Reservoir, Kimball Co 6 Sep, Crescent Lake NWR, Garden Co 11 Sep, Ash Hollow SHP, Garden Co 11 Sep, and Stagecoach Lake SRA, Lancaster Co 12 Sep.
The two reports for 2022 were of singles at Wilderness Park, Lancaster Co 4 and 21 Sep, and the lone 2023 report was of one at Hormel Park, Dodge Co 12 Sep.
Images
Abbreviations
NWR: National Wildlife Refuge
SHP: State Historical Park
SP: State Park
STA: State Recreation Area
UNSM: University of Nebraska State Museum
Literature Cited
DeLuca, W., R. Holberton, P.D. Hunt, and B.C. Eliason. 2020. Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (A. F. Poole, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.bkpwar.01.
Dinsmore, J.J., T.H. Kent, D. Koenig, P.C. Petersen, and D.M. Roosa. 1984. Iowa birds. Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA.
Gill, F., D. Donsker, and P. Rasmussen (Eds). 2022. IOC World Bird List (v 12.2). Doi 10.14344/IOC.ML.12.2. http://www.worldbirdnames.org/.
Williams, F. 1980. Southern Great Plains Region. American Birds 34: 176-179.
Recommended Citation
Silcock, W.R., and J.G. Jorgensen. 2024. Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata). In Birds of Nebraska — Online. www.BirdsofNebraska.org
Birds of Nebraska – Online
Updated 14 Jan 2024