Bay-breasted Warbler Setophaga castanea    Synonyms: BBWA.
Kingdom Animalia   >   Phylum Chordata   >   Class Aves   >   Order Passeriformes   >   Family Parulidae   >   Genus Setophaga   

Status:

This species is an uncommon passage migrant in Maryland as it migrates between its breeding grounds in the Boreal forest (fir/spruce habitat) and wintering grounds in the Caribbean and Central and South America. Its numbers fluctuate significantly based on outbreaks of the Spruce Budworm (moth larvae). In fall migration, adults are more likely to migrate west of the Appalachians. First-year birds are more common east of the Appalachians and along the coast. So it isn't just our imagination that this species is easier to see in Maryland in fall!

There are 250 records in the project database.

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A breeding male Bay-breasted Warbler at Susquehanna SP, Harford Co., Maryland (5/18/2013). Photo by Mike Burchett. (MBP list)

A breeding male Bay-breasted Warbler at Susquehanna SP, Harford Co., Maryland (5/18/2013). Photo by Mike Burchett. (MBP list)

A Bay-breasted Warbler in Charles Co., Maryland (5/20/2016). Photo by Mark Johnson. (MBP list)

Bay-breasted Warbler in Baltimore Co., Maryland (5/18/2020). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

A Bay-breasted Warbler in Harford Co., Maryland (9/12/2017). Photo by Mark Johnson. (MBP list)

A Bay-breasted Warbler in Garrett Co., Maryland (9/27/2009). Photo by Mikey Lutmerding. (MBP list)

A Bay-breasted Warbler in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (9/20/2017). Photo by Daniel Irons. (MBP list)

Bay-breasted Warbler in Harford Co., Maryland (9/13/2014). Photo by Matthew Addicks. (MBP list)

A Bay-breasted Warbler in Harford Co., Maryland (9/3/2017). Photo by Mary Sweet. (MBP list)

Bay-breasted Warbler in Calvert Co., Maryland (5/13/2022). (c) rosalie-rick, all rights reserved. Photo by rosalie-rick via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Bay-breasted Warbler in Montgomery Co., Maryland (9/7/2013). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Bay-breasted Warbler in Montgomery Co., Maryland (9/11/2021). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Bay-breasted Warbler in Montgomery Co., Maryland (9/11/2021). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Bay-breasted Warbler in Montgomery Co., Maryland (10/3/2023). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Bay-breasted Warbler in Montgomery Co., Maryland (10/3/2023). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Bay-breasted Warbler in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (9/23/2020). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jonathan Irons. (MBP list)

Bay-breasted Warbler in Montgomery Co., Maryland (9/24/2022). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Bay-breasted Warbler in Montgomery Co., Maryland (10/3/2023). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Bay-breasted Warbler in Montgomery Co., Maryland (9/24/2022). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Bay-breasted Warbler in Montgomery Co., Maryland (9/24/2022). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Bay-breasted Warbler in Cecil Co., Maryland (9/8/2022). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jonathan Irons. (MBP list)

Bay-breasted Warbler in Cecil Co., Maryland (8/25/2022). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jonathan Irons. (MBP list)

Bay-breasted Warbler in Montgomery Co., Maryland (9/24/2022). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Bay-breasted Warbler in Montgomery Co., Maryland (10/3/2023). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Bay-breasted Warbler in Montgomery Co., Maryland (9/28/2023). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Bay-breasted Warbler in Dorchester Co., Maryland (10/1/2023). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jonathan Irons via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Bay-breasted Warbler being banded in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Alina Martin, all rights reserved. Photo by Alina Martin via iNaturalist. (MBP list)


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