Yellow-rumped Warblers in California
When yellow-rumped warblers are present in California, when they nest, which native California plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 5a–11a yard.
- Status in California
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- April–July
- Broods
- 1–2 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 5a–11a
When to expect yellow-rumped warblers in California
Yellow-rumped Warblers live in California all year. Wet, mild winters are the green season — the busiest time at coastal feeders as sparrows and hummingbirds settle in. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward bayberry, wax myrtle and juniper fruit.
Mediterranean along the coast and Central Valley, alpine in the Sierra Nevada, and desert in the southeast.
Nesting in California
Across California, yellow-rumped warblers typically nest from April–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.
Dry summers with little rain from May to October; water and summer-blooming natives matter more than extra seed.
- Yellow-rumped Warblers don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as smooth sumac, chokecherry, red-osier dogwood for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.
Native California plants that attract yellow-rumped warblers
Of the regional native plants we track for California, these 8 provide food or cover yellow-rumped warblers use:
Red fruit heads hang on through winter.
Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.
Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.
White fruit and red winter stems; good thicket cover.
Seeds and bark insects; pygmy nuthatch and woodpecker habitat.
Early yellow flowers for hummingbirds, then summer fruit.
Saskatoon berries ripen in early summer.
Tart red fruit that persists into winter.
Feeding yellow-rumped warblers through the California year
The warbler most likely at a winter feeder; suet and wax myrtle bring them in.
- Best foods: Suet, Hulled sunflower.
- In California's winter: Wet, mild winters are the green season — the busiest time at coastal feeders as sparrows and hummingbirds settle in.
Full diet breakdown for yellow-rumped warblers · Best feeder for yellow-rumped warblers
Frequently asked
Are yellow-rumped warblers in California year-round?
Yes. Yellow-rumped Warblers are year-round residents in California.
When do yellow-rumped warblers nest in California?
Nesting in California typically runs April–July, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 1–6 eggs, incubated for 12–13 days.
What native plants attract yellow-rumped warblers in California?
Smooth sumac, Tall goldenrod, Chokecherry, Red-osier dogwood, Ponderosa pine, Golden currant, Western serviceberry, Buffaloberry are native plants in California that provide food or cover for yellow-rumped warblers.
Yellow-rumped Warblers in other regions
Other backyard birds in California
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 — California
- 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.