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Yellow Warbler: How to Attract & Identify

In North America, several warblers sport yellow plumage, including the Wilson’s Warbler, the Hooded Warbler, and then Palm Warbler.

However, the yellow-ist of them all and deserving of its name, is the striking Yellow Warbler.

Yellow Warbler Perched
Image by Henrietta Oke via Flickr.

With its red streaks, beady black eyes and dazzling yellow coloration, you might think you are looking at the beloved animated character, Pikachu.

Unlike Pikachu, however, the Yellow Warbler is very much real and can be found across most of North America.

This article will aim to explore how you can distinguish the yellow warbler from other warbler species, as well as ways in which you can attract this vibrant bird to your yard.

What is a Warbler? 

Warblers are typically thought of as small passerine (perching) birds.

Worldwide there are thought to be around 400 different species of warbler. Well, 400-ish. 

Not all warblers are related to one another. However, they all share similar characteristics, such as size, diet and vocalizations.

Classifying warblers is hard, even for the most seasoned of bird experts. Technically speaking, a warbler is any bird that, well, warbles. 

Again, finding a definition for what a warble is has proven more complicated than it should. 

For the ease of this article, let’s go with a warble being a complicated sound produced by a passerine bird. 

In North America, there are thought to be around 54 species of warbler, belonging to the family Parulidae

And, that’s exactly where we’re heading to find the Yellow Warbler. 

Where Can You Find Yellow Warblers?

Yellow Warblers are long-distance migrants. 

During the breeding months of May – June, Yellow Warblers can be found across much of North America. 

Yellow Warbler On a Rock
Image by Ron via Flickr.

As winter approaches, the small warbler migrates South towards Central and South America, to spend the non-breeding season foraging for insects amongst warm mangrove forests. 

Back in North America, Yellow Warblers breed in shrubby thickets, as well as disturbed areas, such as roadsides, and regrowing habitats, such as streams and wetlands. 

The Yellow Warbler is an adaptable species, and can be found as high as 9,000 feet in the aspen forests of The Rockies, to the flat blueberry bogs and orchards of Eastern USA. They can be found in the Tundra of Canada to the deserts of Mexico. 

There are also many subspecies of the Yellow Warbler. Some subspecies can be found exclusively on islands, such as the Galaopogas and the Cocos Islands, Costa Rica, where they have evolved independently from their mainland relatives. 

Where Should I Look for Them?

With their bright yellow plumage, and their restless foraging behavior, Yellow Warblers are relatively easy to spot. 

Scout the tops of tall shrubs and small trees, as well as willows, alders and cottonwoods, as they make a series of hops in search for insect prey, such as caterpillars. 

How to Identify a Yellow Warbler

So, warblers are small, vocal and insectivorous. 

But that doesn’t really help ornithologists when it comes to IDing. 

What characteristics does the Yellow Warbler have that sets it apart from its conspecifics?

What Does a Yellow Warbler Look Like?

Yellow Warblers are uniformly yellow – one of the few species to be so. 

They are also one of the most widespread species across North America. 

Males are bright egg-yolk yellow, with ruddy streaks speckled across their wings and breast. 

Females are a paler yellow and lack the dark ruddy streaks.

Male Yellow Warbler (left) and Female Yellow Warbler (right). Images by Larry Reis via Flickr.

Juveniles are a duller yellow color, often with some gray coloration although some can be almost entirely gray.

Both sexes have prominent large, black eyes, which stand out clearly on their rounded yellow heads. 

Compared to other warbler species, the Yellow Warbler has a relatively large, straight bill. Not much help when they’re flitting between high branches, but still worth knowing. 

It may seem daunting to ID a Yellow Warbler when there are so many similar species around. I’m talking about the likes of the hooded warbler, the palm warbler or Wilson’s warbler. 

Yet, despite their seemingly all-yellow appearance, all the warblers just listed display slightly different characteristics to our Yellow Warbler. 

Wilson’s warbler, for example, is much rounder and males have an area of black plumage on their head. The wings of the hooded warbler are often much darker, with streaks of black. 

So, when you take these factors into account, IDing the Yellow Warbler becomes that little bit easier. 

What Does a Yellow Warbler Sound Like?

But of course, IDing on sight alone is not always reliable. 

Dim lighting, an overcrowded canopy, too far away. The list of limiting factors goes on. 

So how do we overcome this?

Sounds and calls are invaluable to researchers and birders alike to really finetune identification skills. 

The Yellow Warbler uses a series of calls and sounds.

Yellow Warbler Singing
Image by nickinthegarden via Flickr.

Calls, often used as alarms or keeping members of a flock in contact, are used by Yellow Warblers in a series of short chip notes. Some calls appear almost metallic, whilst other calls have a heavy lisp or buzz-like sound. 

Click here to hear the call of the Yellow Warbler.

During the breeding season, females may respond to a male’s courting song with a high-pitched chip. 

Both sexes have been recorded using a hissing note when defending territories or confronting cowbirds, a brood parasite.

Songs, defined as more complex and prolonged vocalization, are often used by breeding males to attract the attention of a female. 

Males have been recorded singing a series of 6 – 10 whistled notes, accelerating over the course of 1 second, finishing with a rising note. The male can sing the same song up to 10 times per minute. 

The song of the Yellow Warbler is sweet and recognizable, with many birders attributing the song with the mnemonic sweet sweet sweet I’m so sweet.

Click here to hear the song of the Yellow Warbler.

Across their breeding range, the songs of the Yellow Warbler are a common sound of spring and early summer. 

How to Attract Yellow Warblers to your Backyard

Yellow Warblers aren’t a typical backyard bird. 

But that’s not to say they won’t visit your yard. 

Warbler Perching On a Branch
Image by Sue Milks via Flickr.

With a diet predominantly made up of insects, a simple seed-feeder won’t do. 

Instead, you can challenge your creativity by making a home-made feeder. Use protein-rich food sources, such as mealworms and crickets, as well as a fat source, such as suet, to create energy-rich feeding stations. 

Wildlife ponds are another great addition to add to your backyard. Ponds attract an array of invertebrates which attract larger predators, such as our Yellow Warblers. 

In fact, any natural addition to your yard will do wonders for wildlife. Whether it be shrubs, small trees, fruit trees or a pond, each element will produce ample wildlife spotting opportunities – either by providing nesting materials or prey species. 

Final Thoughts

Without being too flashy, the Yellow Warbler is one of the most striking birds in North America. 

With their widespread range, their stable populations, and bright yellow plumage, catching a glimpse of the Yellow Warbler in the wild is relatively easy.

But be careful when it comes to IDing the Yellow Warbler – other warbler species look the same. Keep an eye out for their egg yolk-like feathers, ruddy streaks on their breast and relatively large bill. 

Or, if sight alone doesn’t help, listen out for their sweet song in the spring and summer mornings. 

Even better, by creating insect-rich feeders, or planting suitable shrubs and trees, you may just be able to attract the Yellow Warbler to your own backyard. 

Warbler Feeding Young
Image by Kevin Fox via Flickr.
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