Listing Status
- Federal Status: Delisted due to Extinction
- FL Status: Delisted due to Exctinction
- FNAI Ranks: GX/SX (Presumed exctinct)
- IUCN Status: CR (Critically Endangered)
Appearance
The Bachman’s wood warbler was a rare songbird endemic to the U.S. (Coder and Jackson 1994). This species could reach a body length of 3.9-4.3 inches (10-11 centimeters) with a wingspan of 4.25-4.75 inches (10.8-12.1 centimeters) (University of Georgia 2008, Alsop 2002). Males had a gray nape (back of neck), yellow chin and belly, olive upper part of the tail, back, and wings, yellow forehead, and a black patch on their crown. Females differed with a gray patch on their crown and a pale olive back (University of Georgia 2008). The last confirmed sighting of a nest was in 1937 (BirdLife International 2011).
Behavior
The diet of the Bachman’s wood warbler primarily consisted of insects and other small arthropods (Hamel 2011).
Little is known about the life history of the Bachman’s wood warbler. Nesting occurred between late March and early June, after the spring floods. Nests were built in heavy undergrowth, within 3.3 feet (one meter) from the ground (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Multi-Species Recovery Plan, n.d.). Nests were constructed with grass, leaves, and moss, while lined with high-quality vegetation material and Spanish moss. The average clutch size for Bachman’s wood warbler was three to five eggs (University of Georgia 2008).
Habitat
The Bachman’s wood warbler inhabited bottomland forests and swamps (along with canebrakes) (Alsop 2002). This species was found in Arkansas, Alabama, Missouri, Kentucky, South Carolina, while wintering in Florida and Cuba (BirdLife International 2011). In Florida, the species was found in Monroe and Miami-Dade counties (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Species Profile, n.d.)
Threats
Due to the lack of information on the ecology and life history of the Bachman’s wood warbler, and the lack of recent sightings, conservation management strategies and threats were difficult to determine. This species’ large breeding range was a threat as its low population numbers can prevent the birds from finding mates. During the late 1800’s, collisions with lighthouses were listed as a threat to the species. In modern times, collisions with similar size structures might have been a threat towards the species (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Multi-Species Recovery Plan, n.d.).
Conservation and Management
The Bachman’s warbler was delisted under the Endangered Species Act by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on October 17, 2023, due to extinction. The FWC adopted this federal standard in 2025.
References
Alsop, F.J. (2002). Birds of Florida. New York, NY: Dorling Kindersley Inc. Page 36
BirdLife Internationa. (2011). Species factsheet: Vermivora bachmanii. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 25/07/2011.
University of Georgia. (2008). Bachman’s Warbler Vermivora bachmanii. Retrieved July 25, 2011, from Museum of Natural History.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Multi-Species Recovery Plan. (n.d.). Bachman’s Wood Warbler Vermivora bachmanii. Retrieved July 25, 2011, from South Florida Ecological Services Office: https://ecos.fws.gov/docs/recovery_plan/sfl_msrp/SFL_MSRP_Species.pdf