Bird Basics
Yellow-Rumped
Warbler
(Dendroica
coronata)
 Habits
These
quick little birds are actually among the
largest of the warblers (measuring approx.
5"). They are primarily insectivores
and often can be seen moving rapidly along
tree trunks similar in style to a Brown
Creeper.
Identification
Yellow-rumpeds
are very easily distinguished by the flash
of bright yellow just above their tail.
No other warbler has as bright a yellow
patch. The females are a drab olive-yellow,
but still have a yellow patch on their rumps.
There
are two forms of the Yellow-rumped Warbler:
Myrtle and Audubon. Until recently,
the two were considered two distinct species.
Male Myrtles are featured on this page.
Nesting
Yellow-rumpeds
nest in conifers, building a soft, open
nest using a mixture of small twigs, pine
needles, moss, fine feathers and even hair.
Yellow-rumpeds incubate a clutch of 4-5
eggs for roughly 12 days. The young
birds will fledge in another 12 days.
Many times, yellow-rumpeds will have two
broods.
Range
The
Myrtle's breeding range is throughout Canada,
the northeastern US and the upper Midwest,
including Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
They are primarily found along the forest
edge, preferring stands of Douglas Fir and
various spruce.
Audubon's
is found from British Columbia down the
Pacific Coast as far as the Baja Peninsula
in Mexico. The Audubon prefers boreal
forests of white and black spruce.
Both species tend to flock to the coasts
during migration. Although the Myrtles
may be found along the West Coast during
the winter, the Audubon rarely ventures
to the East.
The
species do meet along the northern Rockies,
where both species have access to the trees
the prefer.
During
the winter, they may be found in the interior
Midwest, along both coasts and as far south
as Central America. Along the coasts,
they will nest in dunes and marshes.
Diet
Yellow-rumpeds
enjoy insects; gleaning them, catching them
on the wing, and foraging for them along
tree trunks and even on the ground.
During the winter they survive on fruit,
especially bayberries along the coasts.
Listen
to the Yellow-rumped Warbler!
mp3
file generously donated by John Feith
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