Illinois · Winter visitor

Yellow-rumped Warblers in Illinois

When yellow-rumped warblers are present in Illinois, when they nest, which native Illinois plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 5a–7b yard.

Wood-warblers (Parulidae)Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronata

Status in Illinois: Winter visitor
Nesting window: Does not typically nest here
Hardiness zones: USDA 5a–7b

When to expect yellow-rumped warblers in Illinois

In Illinois, yellow-rumped warblers are winter visitors rather than breeders. Cold, windy winters in the north; the southern tip is milder and hosts more wintering species. While here they rely on bayberry, wax myrtle and juniper fruit.

Humid continental, grading from the Lake Michigan shore and prairie north to the forested Shawnee Hills in the south.

Native Illinois plants that attract yellow-rumped warblers

Of the regional native plants we track for Illinois, 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.

Bur oak

Quercus macrocarpa · Tree

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

Feeding yellow-rumped warblers through the Illinois year

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

Best foods: Suet, Hulled sunflower.
In Illinois's winter: Cold, windy winters in the north; the southern tip is milder and hosts more wintering species.

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

Frequently asked

Are yellow-rumped warblers in Illinois year-round?

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

What native plants attract yellow-rumped warblers in Illinois?

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

Other backyard birds in Illinois

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Black-capped Chickadee Carolina Chickadee Purple Martin Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren 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 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 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.