Louisiana · Winter visitor

Yellow-rumped Warblers in Louisiana

When yellow-rumped warblers are present in Louisiana, when they nest, which native Louisiana plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 8a–10a yard.

Wood-warblers (Parulidae)Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronata
Status in Louisiana
Winter visitor
Nesting window
Does not typically nest here
Hardiness zones
USDA 8a–10a

When to expect yellow-rumped warblers in Louisiana

In Louisiana, yellow-rumped warblers are winter visitors rather than breeders. Mild winters make Louisiana a major wintering ground for sparrows, wrens, and even western hummingbirds. While here they rely on bayberry, wax myrtle and juniper fruit.

Humid subtropical, with coastal marsh, bottomland hardwood forest and piney uplands in the north.

Native Louisiana plants that attract yellow-rumped warblers

Of the regional native plants we track for Louisiana, 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.

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.

Black cherry
Prunus serotina · Tree

Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.

Feeding yellow-rumped warblers through the Louisiana year

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

  • Best foods: Suet, Hulled sunflower.
  • In Louisiana's winter: Mild winters make Louisiana a major wintering ground for sparrows, wrens, and even western hummingbirds.

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

Frequently asked

Are yellow-rumped warblers in Louisiana year-round?

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

What native plants attract yellow-rumped warblers in Louisiana?

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

Yellow-rumped Warblers in other regions

Other backyard birds in Louisiana

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 — Louisiana
  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.