Source and Additional Information

Animal Diversity Web
 
Leigh Atwell
Some rights reserved

Protonotaria citrea are migratory birds. They migrate from the south during the months of March, April, and May to their breeding grounds in the United States. Many of these birds return to the same breeding area yearly. They remain there until August when they begin their migration to the south for wintering. By the month of October most of the birds have finished their migration south.

Prothonotary warblers are territorial animals during the breeding season. Both the female and male engage in agonistic behavior when approached with a conspecific intruder. They assume an upright, "Head-Up Posture," to their opponent, and then pursue them with chasing and bill snapping. They can get into sparring battles in the air, locking bills and feet with their opponents and falling to the ground. On the other hand, Protonotaria citrea are not territorial during the wintering season and live together peacefully.

Protonotaria citrea vocalize in various ways. Males and females communicate with each other by expressing a soft chirp out of awareness and recognition. This occurs most often when they approach or leave the breeding cavity. Both sexes sing a song of single syllables that can increase or decrease in initial frequency, and may be repeated 4-14 times. Males sometimes sing songs when trying to impress females during aerial display. Singing is only done in breeding habitats and is performed more by single males than by paired males (Petit 1999).