Prothonotary Warblers are special birds. Because I grew up at the far north end of their range, these gorgeous yellow warblers were uncommon in my neck of the woods. Finding one seemed to be as easy as spotting unicorns. It is a bird of southern woody swamps, and unlike most warblers, it’s a cavity nester. The first one I saw was at the Magee Marsh boardwalk trail along Lake Erie in Ohio many years ago. Over the past ten years they have become almost a “gimme” there, but I still get excited when I see one.
I’ve been lucky enough to see prothonotaries here in mid-Michigan, and even luckier to discover a few active nest cavities. The most useful tool for finding them in this area is knowing their call. It is amazing how well such a brilliantly yellow bird can disappear in its natural habitat. Their call, on the other hand, penetrates the woods and clues you in to slow down and pay attention. Below is a video of an incredibly cooperative prothonotary that didn’t mind being seen or heard at Magee Marsh. The video quality isn’t fantastic, but the bird is.
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