Yellow-rumped Warblers in Indiana
When yellow-rumped warblers are present in Indiana, when they nest, which native Indiana plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 5b–7a yard.
- Status in Indiana
- Winter visitor
- Nesting window
- Does not typically nest here
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 5b–7a
When to expect yellow-rumped warblers in Indiana
In Indiana, yellow-rumped warblers are winter visitors rather than breeders. Cold winters with lake-effect snow in the far north. While here they rely on bayberry, wax myrtle and juniper fruit.
Humid continental, from Lake Michigan dunes in the north to the forested hill country of the south.
Native Indiana plants that attract yellow-rumped warblers
Of the regional native plants we track for Indiana, these 8 provide food or cover yellow-rumped warblers use:
Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.
Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter.
Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.
Deciduous holly holding red fruit into mid-winter.
Fruit clusters persist all winter as emergency food.
Red fruit heads hang on through winter.
Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.
Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.
Feeding yellow-rumped warblers through the Indiana year
The warbler most likely at a winter feeder; suet and wax myrtle bring them in.
- Best foods: Suet, Hulled sunflower.
- In Indiana's winter: Cold winters with lake-effect snow in the far north.
Full diet breakdown for yellow-rumped warblers · Best feeder for yellow-rumped warblers
Frequently asked
Are yellow-rumped warblers in Indiana year-round?
No. Yellow-rumped Warblers are winter visitors in Indiana and do not typically nest there.
What native plants attract yellow-rumped warblers in Indiana?
Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Winterberry, Staghorn sumac, Smooth sumac, White oak, Bur oak are native plants in Indiana that provide food or cover for yellow-rumped warblers.
Yellow-rumped Warblers in other regions
Other backyard birds in Indiana
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 — Indiana
- 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.