Setophaga citrina
Status: Rare regular spring migrant east and west, rare casual central. Rare casual fall migrant statewide.
Documentation: Specimen: CSC 17 Jun 1982 Chadron, Dawes Co (Probasco 1983).
Taxonomy: No subspecies are recognized (AviList 2025).
Spring: May 2, 3, 3 <<<>>> May 28, 28, 30
Earlier dates are 18-19 Apr 2025 Towl Park, Douglas Co, 19-20 Apr 2014 Douglas Co, and 27 Apr 1975 Sarpy Co.
Later dates are 2 Jun (year not given) Keith Co (Brown and Brown 2001), 13 Jun 2015 Sarpy Co, 14 Jun 2020 recorded Nemaha Co, 15 Jun 2016 Ponca SP, Dixon Co, 17 Jun 1982 brought in by a cat Chadron, Dawes Co (cited above), 20 Jun 1999 singing male Hummel Park, Omaha, Douglas Co, 16 Jun-4 Jul 2015 singing male NNF Bessey, Thomas Co, and 19 Jul 2017 male Bellevue, Sarpy Co. A pair was near Peru, Nemaha Co in 2000 but no further evidence of breeding was observed.
Despite the several Jun-Jul records cited above and Swenk’s (1919) comment that Hooded Warbler was a “rare breeder southeastwardly”, there is no evidence that Hooded Warbler ever bred in Nebraska, as noted by Mumme et al (2023), although breeding in the state seems likely given increasing reports in recent years. Hooded Warbler, unlike several other warbler species, is increasing its numbers and range northward beginning noticeably in the 1950s (Mumme et al 2023). Spring reports in Nebraska have increased accordingly: seven were reported in spring 2004, 6 in 2014, 6-8 in 2016, and five in both 2025 and 2026.
Hooded Warblers overshoot their breeding range regularly; there are about 19 Panhandle records, 38 in the east, and only 10 in the central, for a total as of Jun 2026 of 67 records Mar-Jun for the state. There are records for nine of the 10 years 2017-2026, indicating regular status.
Tangibly documented records for the Panhandle not listed in eBird are of one photographed at Morrill, Scotts Bluff Co 30 Apr-3 May 2009 (Brogie 2009), and one netted and photographed at Crescent Lake NWR, Garden Co 2 May 1981 (Williams 1981). Similarly, central reports are 23-27 Apr 2003 male Wilsonville, Furnas Co (Brogie 2004), 1 May 2013 photographed Lincoln Co, 18 May 1983 Keith Co (Rosche and Johnsgard 1984), and “a pair” 28-29 May 1930 Webster Co (Ludlow 1935).
Fall: There are 10 accepted records:
23 Aug 2024 adult male Knox Co (Brogie, eBird.org)
27 Aug 2007 female Wind Springs Ranch, Sioux Co (Silcock 2007)
4-6 Sep 2020 Fontenelle Forest, Sarpy Co (Weber, eBird.org)
5 Sep 2005 Wind Springs Ranch (Silcock 2005)
10 Sep 2023 Papillion, Sarpy Co yard (Swanson, video)
12 Sep 2013 male in yard Bellevue, Sarpy Co (Silcock 2013)
12 Sep 2016 Hatch year female Mercer Woods, Omaha (Silcock 2016)
14 Sep 2019 Rock Creek SRA, Dundy Co (Mlodinow, eBird.org)
21 Sep 2002 male Wilderness Park, Lincoln, Lancaster Co (Silcock 2002)
29 Sep 2001 first year Wind Springs Ranch (Silcock 2001).
There are eight additional older reports, including an amazing report with few details of one in a Logan Co yard 10 Nov-early Dec 1965 (Glandon and Glandon 1966).
Images
Abbreviations
CSC: Chadron State College
NNF: Nebraska National Forest
NWR: National Wildlife Refuge
SP: State Park
Literature Cited
AviList Core Team, 2025. AviList: The Global Avian Checklist, v2025. https://doi.org/10.2173/avilist.v2025.
Brogie, M.A. 2004. 2003 (15th) Report of the NOU Records Committee. NBR 72: 59-65.
Brogie, M.A. 2009. 2009 (21st) Report of the NOU Records Committee. NBR 77: 160-168.
Brown, C.R., and M.B. Brown. 2001. Birds of the Cedar Point Biological Station. Occasional Papers of the Cedar Point Biological Station, No. 1.
Glandon, E.W., and R. Glandon. 1966. Hooded Warbler in Logan County. NBR 34: 44.
Ludlow, C.S. 1935. A quarter-century of bird migration records at Red Cloud, Nebraska. NBR 3: 3-25.
Mumme, R.L., I. Chiver, L.J. Evans Ogden, and B.J. Stutchbury. 2023. Hooded Warbler (Setophaga citrina), version 2.0. In Birds of the World (P. G. Rodewald, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.hoowar.02.
Probasco, G.E. 1983. Hooded Warbler. NBR 51: 95.
Rosche, R.C., and P.A. Johnsgard. 1984. Birds of Lake McConaughy and the North Platte River valley, Oshkosh to Keystone. NBR 52: 26-35.
Silcock, W.R. 2001. Fall Field Report, August-September 2001. NBR 69: 158-189.
Silcock, W.R. 2002. Fall Field Report. August-November 2002. NBR 70: 130-167.
Silcock, W.R. 2005. Fall Field Report, August-November 2005. NBR 73: 134-150.
Silcock, W.R. 2007. Fall Field Report, August-November 2007. NBR 75: 98-118.
Silcock, W.R. 2013. Fall Field Report, August-November 2013. NBR 81: 134-160.
Silcock, W.R. 2016. Fall Field Report, August-November 2016. NBR 84: 154-179.
Swenk, M.H. 1919. The Birds and Mammals of Nebraska. Contributions of the Department of Entomology No. 23. Lincoln, Nebraska.
Williams, F. 1981. Southern Great Plains Region. American Birds 35: 838-840.
Recommended Citation
Silcock, W.R., and J.G. Jorgensen. 2026. Hooded Warbler (Setophaga citrina). In Birds of Nebraska — Online. www.BirdsofNebraska.org
Birds of Nebraska – Online
Updated 29 Jul 2026