Georgia · Winter visitor

Yellow-rumped Warblers in Georgia

When yellow-rumped warblers are present in Georgia, when they nest, which native Georgia plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 7a–9a yard.

Wood-warblers (Parulidae)Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronata
Status in Georgia
Winter visitor
Nesting window
Does not typically nest here
Hardiness zones
USDA 7a–9a

When to expect yellow-rumped warblers in Georgia

In Georgia, yellow-rumped warblers are winter visitors rather than breeders. Mild winters bring irregular purple finch and pine-siskin irruptions from the north. While here they rely on bayberry, wax myrtle and juniper fruit.

Humid subtropical, with cooler mountains in the north and a warm coastal plain in the south.

Native Georgia plants that attract yellow-rumped warblers

Of the regional native plants we track for Georgia, these 8 provide food or cover yellow-rumped warblers use:

Flowering dogwood
Cornus florida · Tree

High-fat fall fruit critical before migration and winter.

Eastern red cedar
Juniperus virginiana · Tree

Winter berry-cones and dense roosting cover.

American beautyberry
Callicarpa americana · Shrub

Fall fruit.

Coral honeysuckle
Lonicera sempervirens · Vine

Nectar through spring and summer.

Serviceberry
Amelanchier arborea · Tree

Early-summer berries.

White oak
Quercus alba · Tree

Supports hundreds of caterpillar species used to feed nestlings.

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.

Feeding yellow-rumped warblers through the Georgia year

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

  • Best foods: Suet, Hulled sunflower.
  • In Georgia's winter: Mild winters bring irregular purple finch and pine-siskin irruptions from the north.

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

Frequently asked

Are yellow-rumped warblers in Georgia year-round?

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

What native plants attract yellow-rumped warblers in Georgia?

Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, American beautyberry, Coral honeysuckle, Serviceberry, White oak, Winterberry, Staghorn sumac are native plants in Georgia that provide food or cover for yellow-rumped warblers.

Yellow-rumped Warblers in other regions

Other backyard birds in Georgia

Sources

  1. Yellow-rumped Warbler — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  2. Yellow-rumped Warbler life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  3. Yellow-rumped Warbler — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
  4. eBird region overview and bar charts — Georgia
  5. USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
  6. 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.