Cerulean Warblers migrating now!

Cerulean Warbler, male

Cerulean Warbler, female

Beautiful Cerulean Warblers are migrating through the Gulf of Mexico now. This rare warbler is a declining species and its population has dropped 70% since 1966. They prefer large dense forests to nest and the majority of them breed in the Appalachians where loss of their breeding habitat occurs because of mining and land reclamation. They winter in South America in the Andes and face migration challenges of wind farms on the Gulf Coast. Enjoy them when you see them. The photo of the female I took at Magee Marsh at The Biggest Week in American Birding festival in May. It appears in our Stokes Field Guide to the Birds of North America as well as multiple photos of each species of North American warbler and all the other species.