Yellow-rumped Warblers in Alaska
When yellow-rumped warblers are present in Alaska, when they nest, which native Alaska plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 1a–8a yard.
- Status in Alaska
- Summer breeder
- Nesting window
- June–July
- Broods
- 1–2 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 1a–8a
When to expect yellow-rumped warblers in Alaska
Yellow-rumped Warblers are summer residents in Alaska, arriving shortly before nesting begins in June and leaving after the young are independent. Through the season they feed on caterpillars and flies.
Subarctic interior, temperate rainforest in the Southeast panhandle, and Arctic tundra on the North Slope.
Nesting in Alaska
Across Alaska, yellow-rumped warblers typically nest from June–July. Nest site: cup on a horizontal conifer branch. Females lay 1–6 eggs, incubate for 12–13 days, and young leave the nest after 10–14 days.
A short, explosive summer with near-continuous daylight compresses nesting into a few weeks.
- Yellow-rumped Warblers don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as paper birch, red-osier dogwood, western serviceberry for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.
Native Alaska plants that attract yellow-rumped warblers
Of the regional native plants we track for Alaska, these 8 provide food or cover yellow-rumped warblers use:
Catkin seed feeds redpolls and siskins all winter.
White fruit and red winter stems; good thicket cover.
Saskatoon berries ripen in early summer.
Dark berries and evergreen understory cover.
Spring flowers for Rufous Hummingbirds, early fruit for thrushes.
Cone crops drive winter irruptions of finches and crossbills.
Deciduous conifer with small cones for siskins and redpolls.
Early catkins draw insects for arriving warblers and hummingbirds.
Feeding yellow-rumped warblers through the Alaska year
The warbler most likely at a winter feeder; suet and wax myrtle bring them in.
- Best foods: Suet, Hulled sunflower.
- In Alaska's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.
Full diet breakdown for yellow-rumped warblers · Best feeder for yellow-rumped warblers
Frequently asked
Are yellow-rumped warblers in Alaska year-round?
No. Yellow-rumped Warblers are summer breeders in Alaska and leave for the winter.
When do yellow-rumped warblers nest in Alaska?
Nesting in Alaska typically runs June–July, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 1–6 eggs, incubated for 12–13 days.
What native plants attract yellow-rumped warblers in Alaska?
Paper birch, Red-osier dogwood, Western serviceberry, Salal, Salmonberry, White spruce, Tamarack, Willow (Bebb) are native plants in Alaska that provide food or cover for yellow-rumped warblers.
Yellow-rumped Warblers in other regions
Other backyard birds in Alaska
Sources
- Yellow-rumped Warbler — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Yellow-rumped Warbler life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Yellow-rumped Warbler — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Alaska
- 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.