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Status: Population size: 600 Photo by Chandler Robbins.

Elfin-woods Warbler
(Dendroica angelae)

This species was not discovered by humans until 1971. It is endemic to Puerto Rico. This is a very active bird and often forages in flocks with other species, especially the Puerto Rican Tanager.

Identification
A black and white warbler with a thin, white eyestripe; white ear patches; white on neck; incomplete eyering, and black crown.

Distribution and Population Trends
The Eflin-woods Warbler is found in four disjunct locales on the island of Puerto Rico: in the East, at Sierra de Luquillo (Caribbean National Forest) and the Sierra de Cayey (Carite State Forest); in the West, at Cordillera Central (Maricao and Toro Negro Commonwealth Forests). Puerto Rico's natural vegetation had been reduced to about 6% in the 1940s; but by the early 1980s, regeneration of the forest increased that percentage to 31%, which should prove favorable for the warbler.

Ecology
This species is an inhabitant of elfin or montane dwarf forest on ridges and summits, wet montane forest, sometimes to wet forests at lower elevations. They prefer areas with a dense canopy of vines, high subcanopy, and sparse understory. Its highest densities are in undisturbed, though is will occur in secondary habitats. Breeding is from March to June. Their nest is a compact cup hidden in aerial leaf-litter trapped by vegetation, preferable near the trunk of a small tree. They lay two to three eggs. It gleans insects from high up, usually in the canopy, and often in mixed flocks.

Threats
Although there are currently no direct threats, the species' limited range and small population size put its long-term survival at risk. Natural disasters are of particular concern due to the small range and population.

Conservation
All four known areas where are currently protected. The population is presumably safe so long as this protection continues.

What Can You Do?
The Endangered Species Act has helped protect Elfin-woods Warbler and made it possible to learn critical information about its biology. Audubon continues to work to ensure that this vital legislation is being used to protect our publicly-owned wildlife resources. Check out http://www.audubon.org/campaign/ to learn of the latest news about the Endangered Species Act and how you can help. To learn more about other species protected under this legislation, visit: http://endangered.fws.gov/

Support protection or acquisition of habitat on Puerto Rico by conservation agencies and organizations.

Become a member of the Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds. See http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET/SCO/.

Audubon is the U.S. representative of the global BirdLife International alliance. Our BirdLife partners in the Caribbean are developing Important Bird Areas programs to identify and conserve critical habitats that support birds and other wildlife. For more information on BirdLife IBA efforts throughout the Americas visit: http://www.birdlife.net/sites/index.cfm

For information about birds of Puerto Rico, including the Elfin-woods Warbler, you can visit the website of the Sociedad Ornitologica Puertorrique?a: http://www.avesdepuertorico.org/main.htm

References
BirdLife International. 2000. Threatened Birds of the World. BirdLife International and Lynx Edicions, United Kingdom.

Curson, Jon et al. 1994. Warblers of the Americas: An Identification Guide. Houghton Mifflin, Boston, MA, and New York, NY.

Raffaele, Herbert, et.al. 1998. A Guide to the Birds of the West Indies. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.