Diet

What do black-and-white warblers eat?

Insects and larvae probed from bark furrows.

Wood-warblers (Parulidae)Black-and-white WarblerMniotilta varia

Spring and summer diet

  • Caterpillars, beetles, ants and spiders

Fall and winter diet

  • Insects in the tropics; suet on rare occasions

Best feeder foods

  • Suet (rarely, on migration)

The only warbler that habitually creeps on trunks; occasionally visits suet during cold migration snaps.

Which feeder works best for black-and-white warblers →

Where black-and-white warblers need winter food

Regions where black-and-white warblers are present in the cold months:

Frequently asked

What do black-and-white warblers eat?

Insects and larvae probed from bark furrows.

What is the best food to feed black-and-white warblers?

Suet (rarely, on migration).

What do black-and-white warblers eat in winter?

Insects in the tropics; suet on rare occasions.

Sources

  1. Black-and-white Warbler — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  2. Black-and-white Warbler life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  3. Black-and-white 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.