Vermivora chrysoptera
Status: Uncommon regular spring migrant east, rare casual central and west. Rare regular fall migrant east, rare casual central and west.
Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM16966, 15 May 1993 Lincoln, Lancaster Co (Brogie 1997).
Taxonomy: No subspecies are recognized (Gill et al 2022).
This species hybridizes frequently with Blue-winged Warbler V. cyanoptera. For discussion, see the Golden-winged x Blue-winged Warbler (hybrid) species account.
Changes since 2000: There has been a noticeable increase in numbers of spring migrants coincident with increases in populations in the western portions of the species breeding range (Sauer et al 2017), especially Manitoba (Confer et al 2020).
Spring: May 3, 4, 4 <<<>>> May 22, 23, 23
Later dates are 28 May 1997 Lancaster Co, and 6 Jun 1992 Keith Co (Brown et al 1996).
There are few reports away from the east, the two Panhandle records a singing male in Dawes Co 23 May 1997, and one at Gilbert-Baker WMA, Sioux Co 17 May 2023. West central reports are 11 May 1991 Keith Co (Rosche 1994), 15 May 1998 Clear Creek WMA, Garden Co, 17 May 1955 Keith Co, one photographed 17 May 2008 Lake Ogallala, Keith Co, and 6 Jun 1992 Keith Co (Brown et al 1996). East central reports are 8 May 1993 Buffalo Co, 10 May 2023 Hall Co, 15 May 1993 Buffalo Co, 15 May 2018 Antelope Co, and 17 May 2017 Buffalo Co.
Most reports of this species are relatively recent; there were no reports until one was reported in Adams Co 17 May 1954, and there were only about 30 reports through 1992. There has been a marked increase in numbers in recent years, beginning with a historically major incursion in 1993 when there were 14 reports involving 15 birds, most at Fontenelle Forest (Grzybowski 1993). Most years since, 5-15 were reported through 2015; 25-32 were reported 2016 through 2023, although these numbers were dwarfed by the 45 reported in spring 2020. These recent increases in numbers reflect a continuing increase in the breeding population in Manitoba, where it was “very rare” as a breeder in the 1950s (Confer et al 2020).
- High counts: 5 at Fontenelle Forest 14 May 2016, 5 there 12 May 2018, and 5 there 12 May 2019.
Fall: Sep 1, 3, 3 <<<>>> Sep 13, 14, 14
Earlier dates are 26 Aug 2023 Gage Co, 27 Aug 2022 Sarpy Co.
Later dates are 26 Sep 2017 Sarpy Co, and 2 Oct 2010 Chase Co.
There are only about 47 fall reports; documented records among these are 26 Aug-2 Oct. There is a tendency for fall migration routes to be further east than in spring (Confer et al 2020).
The only reports away from the Missouri River Valley are the single fall Panhandle record, 14 Sep 1997 in Sowbelly Canyon, Sioux Co, 2-3 Oct 2010 Enders Reservoir, Chase Co, and 7 Sep 1973 Thomas Co (Williams 1974).
Images
Abbreviations
UNSM: University of Nebraska State Museum
WMA: Wildlife Management Area (State)
Literature Cited
Brogie, M.A. 1997. 1996 (Eighth) Report of the NOU Records Committee. NBR 65: 115-126.
Brown, C.R., M.B. Brown, P.A. Johnsgard, J. Kren, and W.C. Scharf. 1996. Birds of the Cedar Point Biological Station area, Keith and Garden Counties, Nebraska: Seasonal occurrence and breeding data. Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences 23: 91-108.
Confer, J.L., P. Hartman, and A. Roth. 2020. Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera), 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.gowwar.01.
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/.
Grzybowski, J.A. 1993. Southern Great Plains Region. American Birds 47: 426-429.
Rosche, R.C. 1994. Birds of the Lake McConaughy area and the North Platte River valley, Nebraska. Published by the author, Chadron, Nebraska, USA.
Sauer, J.R., D.K. Niven, J.E. Hines, D.J. Ziolkowski, Jr, K.L. Pardieck, J.E. Fallon, and W.A. Link. 2017. The North American Breeding Bird Survey, Results and Analysis 1966 – 2015 (Nebraska). Version 2.07. USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, Maryland, USA.
Williams, F. 1974. Southern Great Plains Region. American Birds 28: 70-76.
Recommended Citation
Silcock, W.R., and J.G. Jorgensen. 2024. Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera). In Birds of Nebraska — Online. www.BirdsofNebraska.org
Birds of Nebraska – Online
Updated 13 Jan 2024