Pine Warblers in Ontario
When pine warblers are present in Ontario, when they nest, which native Ontario plants feed them, and how to host them in a Canadian zones 0a–7a yard.
- Status in Ontario
- Summer breeder
- Nesting window
- May–June
- Broods
- 1–2 per season
- Hardiness zones
- Canadian zones 0a–7a (southern Ontario roughly equivalent to USDA 4–6)
When to expect pine warblers in Ontario
Pine Warblers are summer residents in Ontario, 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 in the south, boreal and subarctic in the north; most backyard birding happens in the southern Great Lakes lowlands.
Nesting in Ontario
Across Ontario, 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.
Short, warm summers; Point Pelee and Long Point are continent-famous migration sites.
- Pine Warblers don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as sugar maple, flowering dogwood, eastern red cedar for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after June.
Native Ontario plants that attract pine warblers
Of the regional native plants we track for Ontario, these 8 provide food or cover pine warblers use:
Insects, seeds and cavities.
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.
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.
Feeding pine warblers through the Ontario year
Pine Warblers regularly visit suet and sunflower feeders in the Southeast in winter.
- Best foods: Suet, Hulled sunflower, Peanut hearts.
- In Ontario'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 Ontario year-round?
No. Pine Warblers are summer breeders in Ontario and leave for the winter.
When do pine warblers nest in Ontario?
Nesting in Ontario 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 Ontario?
Sugar maple, Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, White oak, Bur oak, Black cherry, American elderberry are native plants in Ontario that provide food or cover for pine warblers.
Pine Warblers in other regions
Other backyard birds in Ontario
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 — Ontario
- Plant Hardiness Zones of Canada — Natural Resources Canada
- Audubon Native Plants Database
- Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas — Birds Canada
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.