Pine Warblers in Delaware
When pine warblers are present in Delaware, when they nest, which native Delaware plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 7a–8a yard.
- Status in Delaware
- Summer breeder
- Nesting window
- April–June
- Broods
- 1–2 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 7a–8a
When to expect pine warblers in Delaware
Pine Warblers are summer residents in Delaware, arriving shortly before nesting begins in April and leaving after the young are independent. Through the season they feed on caterpillars and beetles in pines.
Humid subtropical to temperate coastal plain between Delaware Bay and the Atlantic.
Nesting in Delaware
Across Delaware, pine warblers typically nest from April–June. Nest site: cup high on a pine branch. Females lay 3–5 eggs, incubate for 10–13 days, and young leave the nest after 10 days.
Hot, humid summers; bay-shore woodlots are important migrant stopovers in May.
- Pine Warblers don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as flowering dogwood, eastern red cedar, serviceberry for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after June.
Native Delaware plants that attract pine warblers
Of the regional native plants we track for Delaware, these 8 provide food or cover pine warblers use:
Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.
Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter.
Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.
Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.
Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.
Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.
Blue-black fall fruit and dense nesting cover.
Lipid-rich red fruit fuels fall migrants.
Feeding pine warblers through the Delaware year
Pine Warblers regularly visit suet and sunflower feeders in the Southeast in winter.
- Best foods: Suet, Hulled sunflower, Peanut hearts.
- In Delaware's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.
Full diet breakdown for pine warblers · Best feeder for pine warblers
Frequently asked
Are pine warblers in Delaware year-round?
No. Pine Warblers are summer breeders in Delaware and leave for the winter.
When do pine warblers nest in Delaware?
Nesting in Delaware typically runs April–June, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 3–5 eggs, incubated for 10–13 days.
What native plants attract pine warblers in Delaware?
Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, White oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum, Spicebush are native plants in Delaware that provide food or cover for pine warblers.
Pine Warblers in other regions
Other backyard birds in Delaware
Sources
- Pine Warbler — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Pine Warbler life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Pine Warbler — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Delaware
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
- Audubon Native Plants Database
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.