In southeastern swamps in summer, this bright golden warbler sings from high in the trees. It is unique among eastern warblers in its habit of nesting in holes in trees, rather than in the open; it will sometimes nest in birdhouses placed close to the water. The name “Prothonotary” originally referred to a group of official scribes in the Catholic Church who wore bright yellow hoods, as this bird appears to do.

National Audubon Society