Perch Supply
Wood-warblers (Parulidae)

Common Yellowthroat

Geothlypis trichas. Insects and spiders taken low in dense wet vegetation.

Wood-warblers (Parulidae)Common YellowthroatGeothlypis trichas
Scientific name
Geothlypis trichas
Length
4.3–5.1 in
Weight
0.3–0.4 oz
Nest
Bulky cup low in cattails, sedges or brambles
Entrance hole
Does not use nest boxes
Clutch
1–6 eggs
Incubation
12 days
Broods
1–2 per season

Identification

  • Male wears a broad black mask
  • Bright yellow throat and breast
  • Olive-brown back, often skulking low

Voice

A rolling 'witchety-witchety-witchety'.

Diet and feeding

Insects and spiders taken low in dense wet vegetation.

What do common yellowthroats eat? · Best feeder for common yellowthroats

Common Yellowthroats by state and province

RegionStatusNesting
AlabamaSummer breederApril–July
AlaskaSummer breederJune–July
AlbertaSummer breederJune–July
ArizonaSummer breederApril–July
ArkansasSummer breederMay–July
British ColumbiaSummer breederJune–July
CaliforniaYear-round residentApril–July
ColoradoSummer breederMay–July
ConnecticutSummer breederMay–July
DelawareSummer breederMay–July
FloridaYear-round residentApril–July
GeorgiaSummer breederApril–July
IdahoSummer breederMay–July
IllinoisSummer breederMay–July
IndianaSummer breederMay–July
IowaSummer breederMay–July
KansasSummer breederMay–July
KentuckySummer breederMay–July
LouisianaYear-round residentApril–July
MaineSummer breederJune–July
ManitobaSummer breederJune–July
MarylandSummer breederMay–July
MassachusettsSummer breederMay–July
MichiganSummer breederMay–July
MinnesotaSummer breederJune–July
MississippiSummer breederApril–July
MissouriSummer breederMay–July
MontanaSummer breederJune–July
NebraskaSummer breederMay–July
NevadaSummer breederMay–July
New BrunswickSummer breederJune–July
New HampshireSummer breederJune–July
New JerseySummer breederMay–July
New MexicoSummer breederMay–July
New YorkSummer breederMay–July
Newfoundland and LabradorSummer breederJune–July
North CarolinaSummer breederMay–July
North DakotaSummer breederJune–July
Northwest TerritoriesSummer breederJune–July
Nova ScotiaSummer breederJune–July
OhioSummer breederMay–July
OklahomaSummer breederMay–July
OntarioSummer breederJune–July
OregonSummer breederMay–July
PennsylvaniaSummer breederMay–July
Prince Edward IslandSummer breederJune–July
QuebecSummer breederJune–July
Rhode IslandSummer breederMay–July
SaskatchewanSummer breederJune–July
South CarolinaSummer breederApril–July
South DakotaSummer breederMay–July
TennesseeSummer breederMay–July
TexasYear-round residentApril–July
UtahSummer breederMay–July
VermontSummer breederJune–July
VirginiaSummer breederMay–July
WashingtonSummer breederMay–July
West VirginiaSummer breederMay–July
WisconsinSummer breederJune–July
WyomingSummer breederJune–July
YukonSummer breederJune–July

Frequently asked

What do common yellowthroats eat?

Insects and spiders taken low in dense wet vegetation. At feeders: none — wet brushy cover is the draw.

How big is a Common Yellowthroat?

4.3–5.1 in long and 0.3–0.4 oz.

Do common yellowthroats use birdhouses?

No. Bulky cup low in cattails, sedges or brambles.

Sources

  1. Common Yellowthroat — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  2. Common Yellowthroat life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  3. Common Yellowthroat — Audubon Guide to North American Birds

Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.