Yellow-rumped Warblers in Minnesota
When yellow-rumped warblers are present in Minnesota, when they nest, which native Minnesota plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3a–5b yard.
- Status in Minnesota
- Summer breeder
- Nesting window
- June–July
- Broods
- 1–2 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 3a–5b
When to expect yellow-rumped warblers in Minnesota
Yellow-rumped Warblers are summer residents in Minnesota, arriving shortly before nesting begins in June and leaving after the young are independent. Through the season they feed on caterpillars and flies.
Continental, with very cold winters and warm summers; prairie in the west, boreal forest in the northeast.
Nesting in Minnesota
Across Minnesota, yellow-rumped warblers typically nest from June–July. Nest site: cup on a horizontal conifer branch. Females lay 1–6 eggs, incubate for 12–13 days, and young leave the nest after 10–14 days.
A short, intense breeding season; most nesting runs May through July.
- Yellow-rumped Warblers don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as red-osier dogwood, serviceberry, bur oak for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.
Native Minnesota plants that attract yellow-rumped warblers
Of the regional native plants we track for Minnesota, these 8 provide food or cover yellow-rumped warblers use:
White fruit and red-stemmed winter cover.
Early-summer fruit.
Acorns and bark insects.
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.
Feeding yellow-rumped warblers through the Minnesota year
The warbler most likely at a winter feeder; suet and wax myrtle bring them in.
- Best foods: Suet, Hulled sunflower.
- In Minnesota's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.
Full diet breakdown for yellow-rumped warblers · Best feeder for yellow-rumped warblers
Frequently asked
Are yellow-rumped warblers in Minnesota year-round?
No. Yellow-rumped Warblers are summer breeders in Minnesota and leave for the winter.
When do yellow-rumped warblers nest in Minnesota?
Nesting in Minnesota typically runs June–July, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 1–6 eggs, incubated for 12–13 days.
What native plants attract yellow-rumped warblers in Minnesota?
Red-osier dogwood, Serviceberry, Bur oak, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Winterberry, Staghorn sumac, Smooth sumac are native plants in Minnesota that provide food or cover for yellow-rumped warblers.
Yellow-rumped Warblers in other regions
Other backyard birds in Minnesota
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 — Minnesota
- 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.