Birds of the Upper Cumberland Region: Species Accounts

 

Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia)

Black-and-white Warbler [lateral view of female-plumaged individual]: Photograph Credit: Rickey Shive; Metcalfe County, Kentucky; 7 September 2019.

 

Abundance: Fairly Common during spring, summer, and fall; population density greater at higher elevations, such as on the Cumberland Plateau, and lesser at lower elevations, such as on the Highland Rim and especially in the Central Basin (see Foray Results [below]); recorded in all Regional counties (Map of UCR Distribution); data from Regional bird-monitoring efforts indicate the population breeding in the Region is probably stable (see also Regional Bird-Monitoring Plan).

Status: Summer Resident; photograph [dorsal view of female-plumaged individual] (Carol D. Williams; DeKalb County, Tennessee; 25 September 2010); also see above.

Regional High Count and SBC/SBB High Count: 126 (9 May 1998; Putnam County, Tennessee [SBC]; m. ob.); FBC/FBB High Count: 29 (15 September 2001; Putnam County, Tennessee [FBC]; m. ob.).

Regional Extreme Dates:

    Early Spring: x (

    Late Fall: x (

    Note: Spring arrival usually widespread by 10 April; fall departure largely complete by 1 October.  Regional dates of earliest reported spring arrival and latest reported fall departure for the years 20022011 follow:

Year Early Spring Arrival Late Fall Departure
2002 22 March 9 October
2003 5 April 13 October
2004 28 March 11 October
2005 28 March 8 October
2006 1 April 4 October
2007 24 March 7 October
2008 5 April 4 October
2009 31 March 3 October
2010 3 April 8 October
2011 7 April 10 October

Breeding: Confirmed (Recent). 

Habitat: Microhabitat (i.e., tree trunks and limbs) of importance to this trunk- and limb-foraging species.

YardWatch Results 2003 and 2004: Registered on 7 (of 125 possible) monthly check-lists during 2003 and on 22 (of 206 possible) check-lists during 2004, leading to YardWatch frequency classifications of Very Uncommon and Uncommon, respectively; each of these frequency classifications indicates a lesser likelihood of encountering this species in Regional yards and neighborhoods than in the Region as a whole.

Foray Results: A summary of data from UCR Forays follows (to view a map displaying foray data for a county or a sub-Region for this species, click on the name of an underlined county or state below):

County Dates when Foray Conducted Total Blocks
in County *
Total Blocks in which
Black-and-white Warbler
Recorded
Total Individuals
Recorded
         
Adair 816 June 2014 46 1 1
Barren 1–6 June 2013 54 0 0
Clinton 12–14 June 2009 24 5 7
Cumberland 1620 June 2014 35 5 11
McCreary 30 May5 Jun 2011 51 48 219
Metcalfe 812 June 2013 32 4 3
Monroe 1–12 June 2015 35 1 1
Pulaski 511 June 2010 72 23 82
Russell 1316, 2629 June 2012 31 1 1
Wayne 28 May3 June 2012 54 20 38
         
Kentucky   434 (408) 108 (24.9%) 363
         
Bledsoe 1824 June 2012 48 6 6
Clay 12–15 June 2010 30 17 29
Cumberland 29 May4 June 2010 75 55 187
DeKalb 2326 May 2008 40 5 8
Fentress 1117 June 2012 55 17 22
Jackson 29 May1 Jun 2009 40 17 24
Macon 1722 June 2013 32 3 3
Morgan 1–8 June 2014 58 38 98
Overton 2329 May 2011 47 19 41
Pickett 2225 May 2009 24 8 61
Putnam 6–12 June 2011 46 19 39
Scott 924 June 2016 62 40 69
Smith 1525 June 2015 37 1 1
Van Buren 13–15 June 2011 33 17 32
Warren 1–10 June 2016 47 0 0
White 1–6 June 2015 50 9 10
         
Tennessee   724 (651) 271 (37.4%) 630
         
Region   1158 (c. 1059) 379 (32.7%) 993

* Because some foray blocks fall into two or three counties, the total of blocks in the Kentucky or Tennessee portions of the Region is less than the sum of the blocks in the counties of each portion of the Region; similarly, because some blocks fall into both states, the total of blocks for the Region is less than the sum of the blocks in the two states.

Remarks

Check-lists of Birds for the Counties of the UCR

Check-lists of the birds of each county of the Upper Cumberland Region may be viewed by clicking on the links below. For each county, there are two check-lists: one list that shows the species that have been observed and where possible documented in the county within the larger list for the entire Region; and one list that includes only the species observed in the county with annotations for the date and observers for at least one sighting (the ultimate goal of the latter list will be to include annotations for the very first known Regional observation of each species in that county; this goal is probably one that will take many years to complete, if completion is even a possibility). To see if the species discussed in this species account has been observed in a county, click below or click on the link for the Map of UCR Distribution near the top of the page.

Barren Metcalfe Adair Russell Pulaski
Monroe Cumberland Clinton Wayne McCreary
Macon Clay Pickett Fentress Scott
Smith Jackson Overton Putnam Morgan
DeKalb White Cumberland
Warren Van Buren Bledsoe

Check-lists of Birds for Some Public Access Birding Sites of the UCR

Check-lists of the birds of some public access birding sites within the Upper Cumberland Region may be viewed via the links below. To see if the species dealt with in this species account has been observed within any of these sites, click on the appropriate link below. See the pages for each county within the Gazetteer for links to additional smaller public access birding sites with check-lists in progress.

Burgess Falls SP, Putnam/White Counties, TN Barren River Lake SP, Barren County, KY
Cumberland Mountain SP, Cumberland County, TN General Burnside Island SP, Pulaski County, KY
Edgar Evins SP, DeKalb County, TN  
Fall Creek Falls SP, Bledsoe/Van Buren Counties, TN Pulaski County Park, Pulaski County, KY
Frozen Head SNA, Morgan County, TN Waitsboro Recreation Area, Pulaski County, KY
Rock Island SP, Warren/White Counties, TN  
Standing Stone SP, Overton County, TN Big South Fork NRRA, KY and TN
   
Cane Creek Park, Putnam County, TN  
Roaring River Recreation Area, Jackson County, TN  

Literature Cited