Prothonotary Warbler
Prothonotary WarblerProthonotary WarblerProthonotary WarblerProthonotary Warbler

Prothonotary Warbler

Protonotaria citrea

Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
23 Verified sightings at Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary From 2019 to 2026
14,283 Verified sightings across all 57 parks From 2019 to 2026
March Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Prothonotary Warbler

The prothonotary warbler (Protonotaria citrea) is a small songbird of the New World warbler family. It is named for its plumage, which resembles the yellow robes once worn by papal clerks (named prothonotaries) in the Roman Catholic Church.

The prothonotary warbler is the only member of the genus Protonotaria and the only eastern warbler that nests in natural or artificial cavities. These warblers often move with quick, jerky, movements and will even crawl upside down on sticks or trees. During the spring they are often seen in wetlands gathering nesting material, or food, for their mate.

The prothonotary warbler was described by the French polymath Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon in 1779 in his Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux from a specimen collected in Louisiana. Buffon coined the French name Le figuier protonotaire. The bird was also illustrated in a hand-coloured plate engraved by François-Nicolas Martinet in the Planches Enluminées D'Histoire Naturelle, which was produced under the supervision of Edme-Louis Daubenton to accompany Buffon's text. Neither the plate caption nor Buffon's description included a scientific name but in 1783 the Dutch naturalist... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

Northern Waterthrush
LC

Northern Waterthrush

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Parkesia noveboracensis

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Magnolia Warbler
LC

Magnolia Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Setophaga magnolia

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
American Redstart
LC

American Redstart

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Setophaga ruticilla

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Hooded Warbler
LC

Hooded Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Setophaga citrina

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Black-and-white Warbler
LC

Black-and-white Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Mniotilta varia

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Chestnut-sided Warbler
LC

Chestnut-sided Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Setophaga pensylvanica

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Kentucky Warbler
LC

Kentucky Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Geothlypis formosa

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Ovenbird
LC

Ovenbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Seiurus aurocapilla

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Yellow Warbler
LC

Yellow Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Setophaga petechia

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Common Yellowthroat
LC

Common Yellowthroat

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Geothlypis trichas

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Yellow-breasted Chat
LC

Yellow-breasted Chat

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Icteria virens

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Northern Parula
LC

Northern Parula

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Setophaga americana

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Bastimentos Island National Marine Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~40%
2 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~40%
3 Utría National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
~40%
4 Congaree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~30%
5 Tayrona National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
~10%
6 Soberanía National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
7 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
8 Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
9 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
10 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
11 Pico Bonito National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~10%
12 San Lorenzo Protected Forest 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
13 Cahuita National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
14 Las Baulas Marine National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
15 Ostional Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
16 Parque Natural Metropolitano 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
17 Darién National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
18 Santa Rosa National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
19 Carara National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
20 Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
21 Isla del Coco National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
22 Celestún Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
23 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
24 Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
25 Ciénaga de Zapata 🇨🇺 Cuba
<5%
26 Palo Verde National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
27 Tikal National Park 🇬🇹 Guatemala
<5%
28 Chagres National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
29 Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
30 Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary 🇧🇿 Belize
<5%
31 Piedras Blancas National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
32 Lago de Yojoa 🇭🇳 Honduras
<5%
33 Calakmul Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
34 Big Cypress National Preserve 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
35 Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
36 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
37 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
38 Corcovado National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
39 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
40 Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
41 Arenal Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
42 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
43 Saguaro National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
44 Coiba National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
45 Cusuco National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
46 Caroni Swamp 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago
Insufficient data
47 Rincón de la Vieja National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
48 Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
49 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
50 Henri Pittier National Park 🇻🇪 Venezuela
Insufficient data
51 Los Haitises National Park 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Insufficient data
52 Volcán Barú National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
53 Tenorio Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
54 Cañón del Sumidero National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
55 Chirripó National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
56 Los Quetzales National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
57 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Prothonotary Warbler in Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Prothonotary Warbler sighting in Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, based on 23 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Prothonotary Warbler in Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary?

March has the highest sighting rate for Prothonotary Warbler in Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary in our monthly data.

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