Pine Warblers in Maine
When pine warblers are present in Maine, when they nest, which native Maine plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3b–6b yard.
- Status in Maine
- Summer breeder
- Nesting window
- May–June
- Broods
- 1–2 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 3b–6b
When to expect pine warblers in Maine
Pine Warblers are summer residents in Maine, arriving shortly before nesting begins in May and leaving after the young are independent. Through the season they feed on caterpillars and beetles in pines.
Humid continental with a long, rocky Atlantic coast and extensive northern spruce-fir forest.
Nesting in Maine
Across Maine, pine warblers typically nest from May–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.
Cool, short summers; many songbirds do not begin nesting until late May.
- Pine Warblers don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as eastern red cedar, serviceberry, white oak for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after June.
Native Maine plants that attract pine warblers
Of the regional native plants we track for Maine, these 8 provide food or cover pine warblers use:
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.
Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.
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 Maine year
Pine Warblers regularly visit suet and sunflower feeders in the Southeast in winter.
- Best foods: Suet, Hulled sunflower, Peanut hearts.
- In Maine'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 Maine year-round?
No. Pine Warblers are summer breeders in Maine and leave for the winter.
When do pine warblers nest in Maine?
Nesting in Maine typically runs May–June, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 3–5 eggs, incubated for 10–13 days.
What native plants attract pine warblers in Maine?
Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, White oak, Bur oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum, Spicebush are native plants in Maine that provide food or cover for pine warblers.
Pine Warblers in other regions
Other backyard birds in Maine
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 — Maine
- 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.