Pine Warblers in Rhode Island
When pine warblers are present in Rhode Island, when they nest, which native Rhode Island plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 6a–7b yard.
- Status in Rhode Island
- Summer breeder
- Nesting window
- April–June
- Broods
- 1–2 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 6a–7b
When to expect pine warblers in Rhode Island
Pine Warblers are summer residents in Rhode Island, 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 continental with strong maritime moderation around Narragansett Bay.
Nesting in Rhode Island
Across Rhode Island, 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.
Warm summers with sea breezes.
- 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 Rhode Island plants that attract pine warblers
Of the regional native plants we track for Rhode Island, 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 Rhode Island year
Pine Warblers regularly visit suet and sunflower feeders in the Southeast in winter.
- Best foods: Suet, Hulled sunflower, Peanut hearts.
- In Rhode Island'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 Rhode Island year-round?
No. Pine Warblers are summer breeders in Rhode Island and leave for the winter.
When do pine warblers nest in Rhode Island?
Nesting in Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island?
Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, White oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum, Spicebush are native plants in Rhode Island that provide food or cover for pine warblers.
Pine Warblers in other regions
Other backyard birds in Rhode Island
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 — Rhode Island
- 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.