Birds of the Upper Cumberland Region: Species Accounts

Blue-winged Warbler (Vermivora cyanoptera)

Blue-winged Warbler [lateral view of alternate-plumaged adult]: Photograph Credit: Copyright Dave Hawkins Photo, Nashville, Tennessee; Edgar Evins State Rustic Park, DeKalb County, Tennessee; 1/2 May 2010.

Abundance: Uncommon during spring, summer, and early fall; records in all Regional counties (Map of UCR Distribution); the Regional breeding population is probably stable, but supportive data are somewhat thin (see also Regional Bird-Monitoring Plan).

Status: Summer Resident; photograph (see above).

Regional High Count and SBC/SBB High Count: 37 (19 May 2005; Putnam County, Tennessee; Stephen J. Stedman, Winston A. Walden) and (26 April 2008; Jackson County, Tennessee [SBB]; m. ob.); FBC/FBB High Count: 7 (15 September 2007; Putnam County, Tennessee [FBC]; m. ob.).

Regional Extreme Dates:

    Early Spring: 4 April 2014 (Putnam County, Tennessee; Stephen J. Stedman).

    Late Fall: x (

    Note: Spring arrival at breeding sites usually widespread by 20 April; fall departure largely complete by 20 September.  Regional dates of earliest reported spring arrival and latest reported fall departure for the years 2002–2011 follow:

Breeding: 

Habitat: Optimal habitat Regionally appears to consist of brushy edge sites located on the lower slopes of the escarpment between the Highland Rim and Central Basin usually at elevations of 180–240 m (600–800 ft). Optimal habitat at any site occurs during a relatively short temporal window, probably ranging from 8–15 years, during the process of second-growth regeneration.

YardWatch Results 2003 and 2004: Registered on 3 (of 125 possible) monthly check-lists during 2003 and on 8 (of 206) check-lists during 2004, resulting in YardWatch frequency classifications of Rare (2003) and Very Uncommon (2004); each of these frequency classifications indicates a lower likelihood of encountering this warbler in Regional yards and neighborhoods than in the overall Region.  Reasons for this difference include the tendency of many, perhaps most, individuals to migrate directly to breeding sites during spring, limiting the chance for encounters in most yards and neighborhoods; the fairly narrow window of migration during spring and fall; and the departure southward by some individuals during early fall, usually before the heat of summer has dissipated and observers have become more active in the field.

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):

* 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: Some evidence indicates that Blue-wings are replacing Golden-wings on the Plateau at sites where the latter species was once the sole representative of breeding Vermivora.  In particular, the results of the White Count Forays appear to be relevant to this issue, only the Golden-wing being found at high elevations during the 1982 TOS Foray there and only the Blue-wing being found in the same areas during the 2007 UCR Foray; results from the vicinity of the DeRossett 5 block are of special interest with regard to the replacement of Golden-wings by Blue-wings (and hybirds).  Results of the 2010 UCR Foray in Cumberland County, Tennessee, are also of interest in this regard, revealing the presence of Golden-wings in just one block, while Blue-wings and hybrids were found in five blocks; results of the 1985 TOS Foray in Cumberland County, Tennessee, are not available for comparison, but results of Spring Bird Counts in that county during the 1960s reveal moderate to high numbers of Golden-wings during that decade but only a low number (3) on one count during the 2000s [LINK to SBC Results in Cumberland County], while Blue-wings were recorded in somewhat higher numbers and in somewhat greater frequency on Spring Bird Counts during the 2000s than during the 1960s.

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.

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.

Literature Cited