Diet

What do yellow warblers eat?

Almost entirely insects gleaned from willows and shrubs.

Wood-warblers (Parulidae)Yellow WarblerSetophaga petechia

Spring and summer diet

  • Caterpillars, midges, beetles and aphids

Fall and winter diet

  • Migrates to Central and South America

Best feeder foods

  • None — plant native willow and dogwood thickets

A wet-thicket warbler. It ignores feeders but uses birdbaths and drippers, especially on migration.

Which feeder works best for yellow warblers →

Frequently asked

What do yellow warblers eat?

Almost entirely insects gleaned from willows and shrubs.

What is the best food to feed yellow warblers?

None — plant native willow and dogwood thickets.

What do yellow warblers eat in winter?

Migrates to Central and South America.

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.