Birds of the Upper Cumberland Region: Species Accounts

Worm-eating Warbler (Helmitheros vermivorus)

Abundance: Uncommon during late spring, summer, and early fall; recorded in all Regional counties (Map of UCR Distribution); data from the Regional bird-monitoring efforts are too few to determine a trend in the population breeding in the Region (see also Regional Bird-Monitoring Plan).

Status: Summer Resident.

Regional High Count and SBC/SBB High Count: 80 (24 April 2009; McCreary County, Kentucky [SBB]; m. ob.); FBC/FBB High Count: 2 (18 September 2004; Putnam County, Tennessee [FBC]; m. ob.).

Regional Extreme Dates:

    Early Spring: 5 April 2012 (DeKalb County, Tennessee; Melinda Welton).

    Late Fall: 10 October 1995 (Putnam County, Tennessee; Stephen J. Stedman, Stedman 2006–2017).

    Note: Spring arrival usually widespread by 20 April; fall departure largely complete by 15 September though data from the latter season is rather thin.  Regional dates of earliest reported spring arrival and latest reported fall departure for the years 2002–2011 follow:

Breeding: Confirmed (Recent).  Like all ground-nesting or near-ground-nesting species, this warbler is susceptible to nest predation by the increasing number of free-roaming pets roaming the Regional woodlands; its breeding success may also be impacted by the large and increasing population of White-tailed Deer in the Region (and elsewhere).

Habitat: Dry slopes with mature deciduous or mixed forest and moderate understory.

YardWatch Results 2003 and 2004: Registered on 4 (of 125 possible) monthly check-lists during 2003 and on 11 (of 206 possible) check-lists during 2004, leading to YardWatch frequency classifications of Rare and Uncommon, respectively; the YardWatch frequency classification for 2004 is consistent with the overall Regional abundance classification for this warbler, but results from 2003 indicate lesser frequency 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):

* 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: Based on its drab plumage and quiet song, this warbler represents the essence of the inconspicuous.

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