Delaware · Winter visitor

Yellow-rumped Warblers in Delaware

When yellow-rumped warblers are present in Delaware, when they nest, which native Delaware plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 7a–8a yard.

Wood-warblers (Parulidae)Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronata

Status in Delaware: Winter visitor
Nesting window: Does not typically nest here
Hardiness zones: USDA 7a–8a

When to expect yellow-rumped warblers in Delaware

In Delaware, yellow-rumped warblers are winter visitors rather than breeders. Mild winters with modest snow; coastal marshes draw huge numbers of wintering sparrows and blackbirds. While here they rely on bayberry, wax myrtle and juniper fruit.

Humid subtropical to temperate coastal plain between Delaware Bay and the Atlantic.

Native Delaware plants that attract yellow-rumped warblers

Of the regional native plants we track for Delaware, these 8 provide food or cover yellow-rumped 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.

Winterberry

Ilex verticillata · Shrub

Deciduous holly holding red fruit into mid-winter.

Staghorn sumac

Rhus typhina · Shrub

Fruit clusters persist all winter as emergency food.

Smooth sumac

Rhus glabra · Shrub

Red fruit heads hang on through winter.

White oak

Quercus alba · Tree

Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.

Black cherry

Prunus serotina · Tree

Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.

Feeding yellow-rumped warblers through the Delaware year

The warbler most likely at a winter feeder; suet and wax myrtle bring them in.

Best foods: Suet, Hulled sunflower.
In Delaware's winter: Mild winters with modest snow; coastal marshes draw huge numbers of wintering sparrows and blackbirds.

Full diet breakdown for yellow-rumped warblers · Best feeder for yellow-rumped warblers

Frequently asked

Are yellow-rumped warblers in Delaware year-round?

No. Yellow-rumped Warblers are winter visitors in Delaware and do not typically nest there.

What native plants attract yellow-rumped warblers in Delaware?

Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Winterberry, Staghorn sumac, Smooth sumac, White oak, Black cherry are native plants in Delaware that provide food or cover for yellow-rumped warblers.

Other backyard birds in Delaware

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Carolina Chickadee Purple Martin Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren 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 Pine Siskin Indigo Bunting Eastern Towhee Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Chimney Swift Pine Warbler Eastern Screech-Owl Wood Thrush Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow

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.