The golden-cheeked warbler is an endangered species of bird that breeds in Central Texas, from Palo Pinto County southwestward along the eastern and southern edge of the Edwards Plateau to Kinney County. The golden-cheeked warbler is the only bird species with a breeding range endemic to Texas.
Region
Central Texas and Mesoamerican Highlands
Typical Environment
Breeds from north-central to south-central Texas along the eastern and southern edge of the Edwards Plateau where mature Ashe juniper–oak woodlands persist. In winter it occupies montane pine–oak and mixed evergreen forests in southern Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. It favors steep canyons, upland slopes, and riparian edges with dense mid to upper canopy. Nesting depends on older Ashe junipers that provide shredding bark, often near live oaks.
Altitude Range
200–2500 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This warbler breeds only in Central Texas, making it the only bird whose entire breeding range is endemic to Texas. It requires mature Ashe juniper (for shredding bark) mixed with oak woodlands to build its nests. Habitat loss and fragmentation, along with brood parasitism by Brown-headed Cowbirds, are key threats. It winters in highland pine–oak and evergreen forests of southern Mexico and northern Central America.
Print by John Gerrard Keulemans, 1890
Temperament
secretive and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats; agile flits through foliage
Social Behavior
Breeding pairs defend well-defined territories in suitable juniper–oak habitat. Nests are cup-shaped and built with strips of Ashe juniper bark bound with spider silk, typically placed in oaks or junipers. Monogamous during the breeding season, with both parents provisioning young.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
The male’s song is a high, buzzy series of seets and trills delivered from mid to upper canopy perches. Calls are thin, high chips used during foraging and contact. Songs are repeated in stereotyped phrases during territory defense.
