Setophaga magnolia
Silhouette: Dylan GE Gomes · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~30%
The magnolia warbler (Setophaga magnolia) is a member of the wood warbler family Parulidae. The genus name Setophaga is from Ancient Greek ses, "moth", and phagos, "eating", and the specific magnolia refers to the type locality. American ornithologist Alexander Wilson found this species in magnolias near Fort Adams, Mississippi.
This species is a moderately small New World warbler. It measures 11 to 13 cm (4.3 to 5.1 in) in length and spans 16 to 20 cm (6.3 to 7.9 in) across the wings. Body mass in adult birds can range from 6.6 to 12.6 g (0.23 to 0.44 oz), though weights have reportedly ranged up to 15 g (0.53 oz) prior to migration. Among standard measurements, the wing chord is 5.4 to 6.4 cm (2.1 to 2.5 in), the tail is 4.6 to 5.2 cm (1.8 to 2.0 in), the bill is 0.8 to 1 cm (0.31 to 0.39 in) and the tarsus is 1.7 to 1.85 cm (0.67 to 0.73 in). The magnolia warbler can be distinguished by its coloration. The breeding males often have white, gray, and black backs with yellow on the sides; yellow and black-striped stomachs; white, gray, and black foreheads and beaks; distinct black tails with white stripes on the underside; and defined white patches... Wikipedia →
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Pedro Sula | 🇭🇳 Honduras | |
| 2 | Chicago | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Detroit | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Baltimore | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Havana | 🇨🇺 Cuba | |
| 7 | Toronto | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 8 | Montreal | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 9 | Minneapolis [Saint Paul] | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Philadelphia | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | National Zoological Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Xcaret | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 3 | Ralph Perkins II Wildlife Center and Woods Garden | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Magnolia Warbler sighting in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve on a given day, based on 45 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 103rd most-seen of the 216 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January, May and November
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Magnolia Warbler in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve on a given day, against under 5% in February–April, June–October and December, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Magnolia Warbler sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
23rd of 49
Of the 49 parks where we can rate Magnolia Warbler sightings, Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve ranks 23rd at about 10%. The best odds are in Cañón del Sumidero National Park (Mexico, about 60%), Tikal National Park (Guatemala, about 60%) and Calakmul Biosphere Reserve (Mexico, about 60%). All parks ranked.
Same genus: Setophaga
The closest relatives of the Magnolia Warbler that you can see in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve (genus Setophaga, Setophaga Warblers) are Yellow Warbler (about 50%), Palm Warbler (about 10%) and American Redstart (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Magnolia Warbler is recorded against all the birds logged in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve (45 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
