While over-wintering in the tropical Andes of South America, the Blackburnian Warbler is a true montane specialist. Occurring at elevations up to 3300 m, this species occupies forests well above the elevation range of many other migratory landbirds. Not surprisingly, most records of Blackburnian Warbler during occupancy surveys also come from mountainous areas of Colombia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Honduras. In Colombia, high concentrations of birds occur in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in the north-east of the country during spring migration but some birds also appear to make short stops in lowland dry forests following April rains. In Central America, fall stopovers appear to take place in the mountains of Honduras and northern Nicaragua.