BACHMAN'S WARBLER Vermivora bachmanii (Audubon) 



Order: PASSERIFORMES Family: PARULIDAE 



Distinguishing characteristics : Very small bird with fine bill; male olive green above; 

 face and underparts yellow; throat-patch and crown-patch black. Female lacks black 

 throat; upper parts olive green; forehead and underparts yellow; crown grayish. 



Present distribution : Known only from recent (since 1950) observation of nonbreeding 

 individuals near Lawton, Virginia, and Charleston and Francis Marion National Forest, 

 South Carolina and three localities in Alabama . 



Former distribution : Bred in river swamp forests of southeastern Missouri, northeastern 

 Arkansas, western Kentucky, central Alabama, and South Carolina. Migrated through 

 gulf states and Florida to winter in Cuba . 



Status : So infrequently seen that nothing is known of its present breeding or wintering 

 distribution . Only an occasional nonbreeding individual observed . 



Estimated numbers : No estimates . 



Breeding rate in the wild : Three to five eggs to a set. 



Reasons for decline : Obscure. Possibly the cutting of practically all the virgin swamp 

 or bottomland timber in the Southeast. Excessive collecting along restricted migration 

 route in Florida may have caused decline in earlier years . 



Protective measures already taken : Protected by Federal law since revision of interpre- 

 tation of provisions of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act in 1965, also by the laws of States 

 in which it formerly occurred . Some of the National Wildlife Refuges in the Southeast 

 have river swamp forests which may be potential habitat for this species . 



Measures proposed : An intensive study to locate breeding Bachman's warblers and to 

 learn what their requirements are so that further protective measures can be taken. 

 Complete protection from collecting anywhere . 



Number in captivity : None known . 



Breeding potential in captivity : Unknown but probably poor . 



References : 



Bent, A. C. 1953. Life histories of North American wood warblers . U.S. 



National Museum Bulletin 203. 

 Imhof, T. A. 1962. Alabama Birds . University of Alabama Press . 591pp. 

 Meanley, B. Manuscript of account of species for the Handbook of North 



American birds. 



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