Tennessee · Year-round resident

Pine Warblers in Tennessee

When pine warblers are present in Tennessee, when they nest, which native Tennessee plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 6a–8a yard.

Wood-warblers (Parulidae)Pine WarblerSetophaga pinus

Status in Tennessee: Year-round resident
Nesting window: April–June
Broods: 1–2 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 6a–8a

When to expect pine warblers in Tennessee

Pine Warblers live in Tennessee all year. Moderate winters; high elevations in the Smokies hold northern species year-round. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward pine seeds and feeder suet.

Humid subtropical, from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Mississippi River floodplain.

Nesting in Tennessee

Across Tennessee, 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 in the valleys.

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 Tennessee plants that attract pine warblers

Of the regional native plants we track for Tennessee, these 8 provide food or cover pine warblers use:

Flowering dogwood

Cornus florida · Tree

Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.

Eastern red cedar

Juniperus virginiana · Tree

Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter.

Serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea · Tree

Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.

White oak

Quercus alba · Tree

Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.

Bur oak

Quercus macrocarpa · Tree

Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.

Black cherry

Prunus serotina · Tree

Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.

American elderberry

Sambucus canadensis · Shrub

Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.

Arrowwood viburnum

Viburnum dentatum · Shrub

Blue-black fall fruit and dense nesting cover.

Feeding pine warblers through the Tennessee year

Pine Warblers regularly visit suet and sunflower feeders in the Southeast in winter.

Best foods: Suet, Hulled sunflower, Peanut hearts.
In Tennessee's winter: Moderate winters; high elevations in the Smokies hold northern species year-round.

Full diet breakdown for pine warblers · Best feeder for pine warblers

Frequently asked

Are pine warblers in Tennessee year-round?

Yes. Pine Warblers are year-round residents in Tennessee.

When do pine warblers nest in Tennessee?

Nesting in Tennessee 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 Tennessee?

Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, White oak, Bur oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum are native plants in Tennessee that provide food or cover for pine warblers.

Other backyard birds in Tennessee

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Carolina Chickadee Purple Martin Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch Blue Jay House Finch Purple Finch Ruby-throated Hummingbird Carolina Wren Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Red-bellied Woodpecker Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Red-headed Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown-headed Nuthatch Brown Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Orchard Oriole Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pine Siskin Indigo Bunting Eastern Towhee Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Chimney Swift Yellow-rumped Warbler Eastern Screech-Owl Wood Thrush Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow Eurasian Collared-Dove

Sources

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.