Prothonotary Warbler
Susquehanna River, Maryland .This warbler gets its name from prothonotaries, clerical officials of the Catholic Church who traditionally wore yellow robes. The yellow is hard to miss—these birds simply glow in the shady, swampy woods that they call home—but there is also a degree of the bureaucratic in their characters. Almost as soon as I step out of the sunshine and into their territory, a few show up: inspecting the newcomer, discussing, and calling back to hidden members of their clan. Note the large, dark eye: the better to see with in the shade. They don’t miss much.