But over the last 30 years, nearly three-quarters of the bird's population has disappeared. Logging, road building and development have cost the cerulean much of its habitat, studies show. In October, a coalition of 28 conservation groups, including the National Audubon Society, asked the federal government to protect the bird. Since then, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has done nothing. So last week, the conservation groups filed a formal notice of intent to sue the service over its inaction.
Cerulean warblers have short tails, and relatively long, pointed wings.
The bird's striking blue plumage gave rise to its name, which is derived from the Latin word for heaven. The cerulean also has a distinctive call, making it one of the most noticeable warblers. In the summer, cerulean warblers have a breeding range that runs from the Mississippi Valley east to the coastal states, and from central Alabama and Georgia north through central Connecticut to northern Vermont. The core of this range includes parts of West Virginia. The birds winter in the Andean forests of South America.