Moyer Lab – Georgia College

Prothonotary Warbler Nest Box Project

Prothonotary Warblers (Protonotaria citrea) are a species of conservation concern in Georgia. Their population has been shrinking for decades, mostly because there isn’t enough suitable habitat for them to live and breed. They thrive in the same wetlands that clean our water, but unfortunately, more than half of the wetlands in the country (especially in the Southeast) have been destroyed. These nest boxes not only provide good homes for breeding warblers, but will also allow us to study how different habitat characteristics affect nesting success and to track where the warblers migrate to in the non-breeding season.

The results of this research will help us understand where warblers breeding in Georgia go during the winter, and what types of habitat they need during the summer, so that we can make sure we are protecting them year-round. Prothonotary Warblers are a good indicator of ecosystem health and quality, and protecting their habitats will maintain vital levels of biodiversity across Georgia’s beautiful wetlands. This project is led by Sarah Kennedy, an incoming masters student in the Biology and Environmental Sciences program at GCSU, and is funded by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.