Setophaga magnolia
Status: Fairly common regular spring and fall migrant east, uncommon central, rare casual west.
Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM10780, 25 May 1909, Lincoln, Lancaster Co.
Taxonomy: No subspecies are recognized (Gill et al 2022).
Spring: May 5, 5, 6 <<<>>> May 29, 29, 30
Earlier dates are 16 Apr 2016 Wayne Co, and 2 May 2014 Perkins Co.
Later dates are 7 Jun 1940 Hastings, Adams Co (Jones 1940), 10 Jun 1997 Bellevue, Sarpy Co, 12 Jun 1986 Douglas-Sarpy Cos, 13 Jun 1955 Thomas Co (Short 1961), and 16 Jun 1919 Buffalo Co, a specimen HMM 2028A.
Migration occurs in May.
There are 24 Panhandle reports, not all documented, from 4 May-1 Jun. Included are specimens taken 11 May 1919 in Scotts Bluff Co, UNSM ZM6838, and 28 May 1965 in Sheridan Co (Short 1966).
- High counts: 12 at Fontenelle Forest, Sarpy Co 12 May 2018, 10 at Wilderness Park, Lancaster Co 11 May 2016, 7 in Cuming Co 20 May 2002, 7 in Omaha, Douglas Co 24 May 2003, 7 at Hormel Park, Dodge Co 14 May 2018, 7 at Frank Shoemaker Marsh, Lancaster Co 22 May 2020, and 7 at University of Nebraska-Lincoln East Campus, Lancaster 23 May 2020.
All observers reported 32 in spring 2011 and 30 in 2008, but an amazing year was 2018, when no fewer than 135 were reported, which was eclipsed in 2023 with 154 tallied, possibly affected by competitive Birding Bowl activities.
Fall: Aug 24, 24, 26 <<<>>> Sep 30, Oct 1, 1
Later dates are 4 Oct 2009 Dodge Co, 9 Oct 2012 Otoe Co, 13 Oct 2018 Hall Co, 16 Oct 2015 Otoe Co, 20 Oct 2014 Otoe Co, 21 Oct 2011 Otoe Co, and 22 Oct 2018 Lancaster Co.
Migrants occur mostly in Sep but with several records scattered through Oct, and are among the later migrant warblers.
There are these few Panhandle reports: 30 Aug 2001 Wind Springs Ranch, Sioux Co, 5 Sep 1981 Garden Co (Williams 1982), 7 Sep 1981 Garden Co (Williams 1982), 10 Sep 1977 Garden Co (Williams 1978), 12 Sep 1919 Monroe Canyon, Sioux Co (Mickel and Dawson 1920), 16 Sep 1981 Garden Co (Williams 1982), 29 Sep 2012 Wind Springs Ranch, 29 Sep 2022 Kimball Co, and “fall” 1956 Box Butte Co (Rosche 1982).
Westerly were one in Keith Co 7 Sep 1996 (Grzybowski 1997) one in Grant Co 10 Sep 2005, one at Lake McConaughy, Keith Co 15 Sep 2001, and one at Valentine NWR, Cherry Co 27 Sep 2003.
- High counts: 6 at Krimlofski Tract, Neale Woods, Washington Co, 13 Sep 1998, 4 in Washington Co 11 Sep 1995, 3 in Washington and Sarpy Cos 3 Sep 2001, 3 at Towl Park, Omaha 14 Sep 2016, and 3 there 5 Sep 2022.
- A total of 70+ were reported during fall 2018.
Images
Abbreviations
HMM: Hastings Municipal Museum
NWR: National Wildlife Refuge
UNSM: University of Nebraska State Museum
Literature Cited
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. 1997. Southern Great Plains Region. Field Notes 51: 78-82.
Jones, A.H. 1940. Some noteworthy 1940 migration records in the vicinity of Hastings, Adams Co. NBR 8: 90.
Mickel, C.E., and R.W. Dawson. 1920. Some interesting records of Nebraska birds for the year 1919. Wilson Bulletin 32: 73-79.
Rosche, R.C. 1982. Birds of northwestern Nebraska and southwestern South Dakota, an annotated checklist. Cottonwood Press, Crawford, Nebraska, USA.
Short, L.L., Jr. 1961. Notes on bird distribution in the central Plains. NBR 29: 2-22.
Short, L.L., Jr. 1966. Some spring migrant and breeding records from northern Nebraska. NBR 34: 18.
Williams, F. 1978. Southern Great Plains Region. American Birds 32: 223-227.
Williams, F. 1982. Southern Great Plains Region. American Birds 36: 192-194.
Recommended Citation
Silcock, W.R., and J.G. Jorgensen. 2024. Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia). In Birds of Nebraska — Online. www.BirdsofNebraska.org
Birds of Nebraska – Online
Updated 14 Jan 2024