Plate 178 – Orange-crowned Warbler

On February 28, 1832, John James Audubon completed his exploration of the St. Johns River in Florida. While in St. Augustine waiting for transport back to Charleston, South Carolina, Audubon noted the Orange-crowned warbler as “rather common near the sea-shore, it is less cautious, and is seen, in considerable numbers, in the orange groves around the plantations, or even the gardens, especially in East Florida.” Audubon could even watch Orange-crowned warblers “playing about the piazzas” in St. Augustine when not chasing and consuming any insects flying in the air. The last time that Orange-crowned warblers could be seen in “considerable numbers” in the state of Florida was on February, 15, 2000. It was then on the north shore of Lake Apopka that Harry Robinson counted a mere 36 Orange-crowned warblers (see eBird Checklist S46633875).