Hooded Warbler (Wilsonia citrina)

Status: State Threatened (1989).

Occurrence: Rare summer resident in south and east. Rare spring migrant south and east; casual spring migrant central; and casual fall migrant south. Wisconsin records are concentrated in southcentral and southeastern counties, and they occur less frequently north to Green Bay. There are 3-4 breeding populations in the state. A map outlining Pre-1977 and 1997 to Present Distribution is available.

Aid to ID: Males in breeding plumage are identified by a black hood surrounding a bright yellow face, and large white spots on tail. Female and young are similar in appearance, but more dull in color and no hood.

Habitat: Occurs in mature southern silver maple-elm forest and southern sugar maple-basswood forest, and in pine plantations in southeastern Wisconsin. Generally found in understory of mesic and wet broad-leaved forests.

Food Habits: Diet consists of insects and other small arthropods and small spiders. This includes caterpillars, moths, grasshoppers, beetles, and flies.

Natural History:

Breeding: Clutch size: 3-5 cream-white eggs; laid in April or June. Incubation: 12 days; by female. Young normally fledge 8 days after hatching, but may leave the nest earlier, reducing risk of predation.
Nest: Cup of dead leaves, bark strips, and spider webs, lined with bark shreds and grasses. Nests are often placed in shrub understory or saplings, between 1 to 5 feet above the ground.

Management Considerations: Forest fragmentation reduces nesting habitat and may increase predation and brown-headed cowbird parasitism. Selective logging increases shrub layer habitat, which is ideal for nesting. Management of forest areas to promote a dense understory while preventing fragmentation is necessary to maintain the habitat of this "area-sensitive" neotropical migrant.

Information compiled from publication ER-091.