Perch Supply
Wood-warblers (Parulidae)

Yellow Warbler

Setophaga petechia. Almost entirely insects gleaned from willows and shrubs.

Wood-warblers (Parulidae)Yellow WarblerSetophaga petechia
Scientific name
Setophaga petechia
Length
4.7–5.1 in
Weight
0.3–0.4 oz
Nest
Tidy cup in the fork of a shrub, 2–12 ft up
Entrance hole
Does not use nest boxes
Clutch
1–7 eggs
Incubation
10–13 days
Broods
1–2 per season

Identification

  • Entirely bright yellow with a plain face
  • Male streaked rusty-red on the breast
  • Black eye stands out on a yellow face

Voice

Sweet, rapid 'sweet-sweet-sweet-I'm-so-sweet'.

Diet and feeding

Almost entirely insects gleaned from willows and shrubs.

What do yellow warblers eat? · Best feeder for yellow warblers

Yellow Warblers by state and province

RegionStatusNesting
AlabamaSummer breederApril–July
AlaskaSummer breederJune–July
AlbertaSummer breederJune–July
ArizonaSummer breederApril–July
ArkansasSummer breederMay–July
British ColumbiaSummer breederJune–July
CaliforniaSummer breederApril–July
ColoradoSummer breederMay–July
ConnecticutSummer breederMay–July
DelawareSummer breederMay–July
GeorgiaSummer breederApril–July
IdahoSummer breederMay–July
IllinoisSummer breederMay–July
IndianaSummer breederMay–July
IowaSummer breederMay–July
KansasSummer breederMay–July
KentuckySummer breederMay–July
LouisianaSummer breederApril–July
MaineSummer breederJune–July
ManitobaSummer breederJune–July
MarylandSummer breederMay–July
MassachusettsSummer breederMay–July
MichiganSummer breederMay–July
MinnesotaSummer breederJune–July
MississippiSummer breederApril–July
MissouriSummer breederMay–July
MontanaSummer breederJune–July
NebraskaSummer breederMay–July
NevadaSummer breederMay–July
New BrunswickSummer breederJune–July
New HampshireSummer breederJune–July
New JerseySummer breederMay–July
New MexicoSummer breederMay–July
New YorkSummer breederMay–July
Newfoundland and LabradorSummer breederJune–July
North CarolinaSummer breederMay–July
North DakotaSummer breederJune–July
Northwest TerritoriesSummer breederJune–July
Nova ScotiaSummer breederJune–July
OhioSummer breederMay–July
OklahomaSummer breederMay–July
OntarioSummer breederJune–July
OregonSummer breederMay–July
PennsylvaniaSummer breederMay–July
Prince Edward IslandSummer breederJune–July
QuebecSummer breederJune–July
Rhode IslandSummer breederMay–July
SaskatchewanSummer breederJune–July
South CarolinaSummer breederApril–July
South DakotaSummer breederMay–July
TennesseeSummer breederMay–July
TexasSummer breederApril–July
UtahSummer breederMay–July
VermontSummer breederJune–July
VirginiaSummer breederMay–July
WashingtonSummer breederMay–July
West VirginiaSummer breederMay–July
WisconsinSummer breederJune–July
WyomingSummer breederJune–July
YukonSummer breederJune–July

Frequently asked

What do yellow warblers eat?

Almost entirely insects gleaned from willows and shrubs. At feeders: none — plant native willow and dogwood thickets.

How big is a Yellow Warbler?

4.7–5.1 in long and 0.3–0.4 oz.

Do yellow warblers use birdhouses?

No. Tidy cup in the fork of a shrub, 2–12 ft up.

Sources

  1. Yellow Warbler — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  2. Yellow Warbler life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  3. Yellow Warbler — Audubon Guide to North American Birds

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.