Northern Yellow Warbler

(Setophaga aestiva)

Information

Northern Yellow Warbler - Species Profile

Northern Yellow Warbler - Featured photo
Photo by Bill Reynolds

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List

LC - Least Concern

NatureServe

N5B, N5N - Secure Breeding and Nonbreeding
SNRB - Unranked Breeding

Minnesota

not listed

Description

 

Size

Total length: 5″

Wingspan: 8″

Voice

Similar Species

 

Habitat

Open woodlands with willow and dense, low scrub, shrubby meadows with willow.

Ecology

Migration

Late April to early September

Nesting

 

Diet

 

Distribution

Occurrence

Common migrant and breeder

Maps

The Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union All Seasons Species Occurrence Map

Taxonomy

Class

Aves (Birds)

Order

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Family

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Subfamily

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Genus

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Genus

In 2011 all of the wood warblers were reclassified resulting in new genus names for almost all of them. The genus Dendroica, with 29 members, was merged with the genus Setophaga, with just 3 members. All of the former Dendroica species were renamed to Setophaga.

Species

In 2025, following the late 2025 eBird/Clements taxonomic update, the species Setophaga petechia was split. All migratory subspecies, formerly in the American Yellow Warbler (aestiva group), were reassigned to the new species Northern Yellow Warbler (Setophaga aestiva).

Subordinate Taxa

Alaska American Yellow Warbler (Setophaga aestiva rubiginosa)

California American Yellow Warbler (Setophaga aestiva brewsteri)

Dugés’s Yellow Warbler (Setophaga aestiva dugesi)

Newfoundland American Yellow Warbler (Setophaga aestiva amnicola)

Northern Yellow Warbler (Setophaga aestiva aestiva)

Northern Yellow Warbler (Setophaga aestiva banksi)

Northern Yellow Warbler (Setophaga aestiva parkesi)

Rocky Mountain American Yellow Warbler (Setophaga aestiva morcomi)

Sonora American Yellow Warbler (Setophaga aestiva sonorana)

Synonyms

Dendroica petechia

Motacilla leucurus

Motacilla petechia

Sylvicola petechia

Photos

Visitor Photos

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Lynn Rubey

Northern Yellow Warbler 07
A Yellow Warbler along the paved walking path in The Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge in Lac qui Parle County.
Northern Yellow Warbler 08
A Yellow Warbler flew up onto this tree branch for a tasty treat.

Bill Reynolds

American Yellow Warbler

The Warblers are pushing through the area. Yellow-rumped, Restarts and Yellow Warblers are everywhere. However, this male Yellow Warbler was the only one to cooperate for the camera.

Northern Yellow Warbler 03
Northern Yellow Warbler 02
Northern Yellow Warbler 01

Minnesota Seasons Photos

Slideshows

Slideshows

Yellow Warbler
Allen Chartier

Yellow Warbler
Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren

Yellow Warbler
JMC Nature Photos

Videos

Visitor Videos

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Other Videos

Yellow Warbler Portrait
ebirdr

About

Published on May 13, 2012

This portrait of a male Yellow Warbler was captured in Wylie Marsh on the Carden Plain near Kirkfield, Ontario.

Yellow Warblers are abundant throughout North America in wet habitats especially willow and alder thickets, orchards, and suburban shrubs. It is a plump, short tailed, overall yellow warbler. Its black eye contrasts on a uniformly yellow head. The male has distinctive reddish streaks on yellow underparts. The female's back, tail, and wings are yellowish-olive. The similar Prothonotary Warbler has blue-gray wings. Note how it bobs its tail frequently. The song is cheerful and bright "tsee tsee tsee tsee-ti-ti-wee" or "sweet sweet sweet I'm so sweet".

What I like about this video is the glint showing in the small black eye. The lighting, especially near the end, allowed for this. The small black eye makes it difficult to capture this highlight. The Wilson's Warbler also provides this challenge.

Yellow Warbler
SmithsonianMBC

About

Uploaded on Aug 13, 2008

George Jameson sent us this yellow warbler video.

Ave Setophaga petechia (Linnaeus,1766) ,Cazadora,reinita amarilla, American Yellow Warbler
INBio

About

Published on May 15, 2013

Mide 11.5 cm. y pesa 9 grs. Es la única reinita con un destello amarillo en la cola, y carece de marcas faciales o barras alares constrastantes.

Los adultos son oliva amarillento por encima, y amarillos por debajo. Las remeras, timoneras y todas las coberteras presentan un borde amarillo verdoso. La mayor parte del vexilo interno de todas las timoneras es de color amarillo.

El macho muestra la frente, la cara y la región inferior amarillo brillante, y un listado castaño rojizo fino en el pecho, el costado y los flancos (en ocasiones hasta ausente) durante el otoño, y prominente en la primavera.

La hembra muestra la frente del mismo color que la espalda, y un tinte oliva en la cara. Ppor lo general, el amarillo de la región inferior es más pálido y con un listado castaño escaso o ausente. El pico es oscuro, los tomios son blancuzcos, y las patas son oliva amarillento.

Los especímenes inmaduros muestran el borde de las coberteras de las primarias de color parduzco.

El macho inmaduro es similar a la hembra adulta, pero con frecuencia presenta más listado por debajo.

La hembra es más opaca, con la cara y la región inferior de color verdoso, y con frecuencia es oliva amarillento, más que amarillo.

Es frecuente en bosques secundarios, pastizales con matorrales y tierras agrícolas, áreas semi-abiertas, áreas urbanas, cafetales, manglares y jardines.

Forrajean activamente en busca de insectos en el follaje; en algunas ocasiones los atrapan mediante vuelos cortos.

Forrajean activamente en busca de insectos en el follaje; en algunas ocasiones los atrapan mediante vuelos cortos.

Yellow Warbler (Setophaga/Dendroica petechia)
Carl Barrentine

About

Published on May 19, 2013

This migrant male Yellow Warbler (Setophaga/Dendroica petechia) sits out a rainstorm in a bough of a old blue spruce. Grand Forks, North Dakota (19 May 2013).

Yellow Warbler 2013-05-25
MackM48

About

Published on May 25, 2013

Panasonic GH2 + 100-300mm
1920x1080 60i 17Mbps
Exposure: Shutter Priority Auto (1/125)
ISO: Auto WB: Cloudy

Sightings

Visitor Sightings

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Lynn Rubey
6/9/2020

Yellow Warbler

Location: Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge

A Yellow Warbler flew up onto this tree branch for a tasty treat. Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge in Lac qui Parle County.

Jon Klein
5/18/2019

Northern Yellow Warbler

Location: Lake Calhoun, Minneapolis, MN

Fr. Jason Houck
5/13/2019

Northern Yellow Warbler

Location: Lake Calhoun, Minneapolis, MN

Bill Reynolds
5/20/2018

Northern Yellow Warbler

Location: Pennington Co MN

The Warblers are pushing through the area. Yellow-rumped, Restarts and Yellow Warblers are everywhere. However, this male Yellow Warbler was the only one to cooperate for the camera.

Minnesota Seasons Sightings